GAME #1
vs. Toledo | Friday, November 14 | 7:00 p.m. | Wolstein Center
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Cleveland State vs. Toledo
SETTING THE SCENE
The Cleveland State women's basketball team will begin the 2014-15 season Friday evening (Nov. 14), as the Vikings host the Toledo Rockets in their season and home-opener. CSU returns nine letterwinners and four starters from last year's squad, including the senior trio of Cori Coleman, Imani Gordon, and Kiersten Green. The Vikings will be under the direction of 12-year head coach Kate Peterson Abiad.
A WIN FRIDAY WOULD…
Give the Vikings a 5-7 record in season-openers under Kate Peterson Abiad…Mark the seventh straight victory for the Vikings in home-openers…Bring Kate Peterson Abiad within four wins of the 150th of her career…Mark CSU's third win out of the last five meetings between the two teams.
SCOUTING THE ROCKETS
Toledo returns seven letterwinners and two starters for the 2014-15 season under seven-year head coach Tricia Cullop…Last season the Rockets recorded a 16-16 overall mark, including a 9-9 record in conference action…Toledo was picked to finish fourth in the MAC West Division this season, and returns 53.9% of its offense and 38.4% of its rebounding…Senior Inma Zanoguera (14.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.7 apg) and junior Ana Capotosto (10.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.3 apg) will lead the Rockets, while sophomore Janic Monakana (5.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg) will also help on both the offensive and defensive ends…In their lone exhibition of the season last Saturday, the Rockets defeated Ferris State, 66-35.
VIKINGS TABBED THIRD IN PRESEASON POLL
Last week Cleveland State was selected to finish third in the Horizon League Preseason Poll - behind league-leader Green Bay and 2014 Tournament Champion Wright State. The Vikings earned 182 points and two first-place votes in the poll, which is voted on by the league's nine head coaches, sports information directors and select media members. This marks the third time out of the last six seasons that the Vikings have been tabbed to finish in the top three in the preseason poll.
GORDON & COLEMAN NAMED PRESEASON ALL-LEAGUE
Along with the preseason poll, the Horizon League also released its Preseason All-League Teams, with Imani Gordon earning a spot on the Preseason All-League First Team and Cori Coleman earning a spot on the Preseason All-League Second Team. Gordon's honor marks the seventh time out of the last eight years that a Viking has been named to the first team, while Coleman picks up second team honors for the second time in her career.
…AND PICK UP COLLEGE SPORTS MADNESS HONORS
Along with the Horizon League accolades, the duo also earned preseason honors from College Sports Madness, with Imani Gordon earning a spot on their Horizon League first team and Cori Coleman picking up Horizon League second team honors.
RETURNING VIKING LEADERSHIP
Entering the 2014-15 season the Vikings lead the Horizon League in returning team points (1,999), team assists (406), team rebounds (894), and total minutes (5,343). With the loss of just one letterwinner, Cleveland State returns 89-percent of its offense, including the senior trio of Imani Gordon (16.6 ppg), Cori Coleman (15.1), and Kiersten Green (14.5), who all ranked in the top-15 in scoring among league players last season.
…ALONG WITH FIVE NEWCOMERS
This core returning group will be joined by five newcomers for the upcoming season; sophomore Alexis Eckles (who sat out during the 2013-14 season after transfering from Drake), and freshmen Ashanti Abshaw (Cleveland Heights, Ohio), Shadae Bosley (Richmond, Ky.), Allyssa Copley (Holly, Mich.), and Kayla Patterson (Fairborn, Ohio).
TRACKING 1,000 POINTS
Imani Gordon and Kiersten Green are both closing in on 1,000 career points entering their senior seasons - as Green currently has 856 points and Gordon has 808 career points. The duo would become the 25th and 26th Vikings to record 1,000 career points, and the ninth and 10th to do so under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad. They would also be the second and third Vikings on the 2014-15 roster to achieve the feat, as Cori Coleman notched her 1,000th career point last season.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
Entering the 2014-15 season all three seniors have their names in the Cleveland State Career Record Book and will be looking to improve their rankings. Cori Coleman ranks in scoring (19th - 1,070 pts), three-point field goals (5th - 152), and three-point field goal percentage (4th - .352), while Imani Gordon ranks in rebounding (18th - 539 rbs) and free throws made (10th - 250), and Kiersten Green ranks in three-point field goal percentage (5th - .350) and free throw percentage (8th - .744).
HEAD COACH KATE PETERSON ABIAD
Cleveland State head coach Kate Peterson Abiad is entering her 12th season at the helm of the Vikings, and enters the 2014-15 season with a 145-192 career mark at Cleveland State. Peterson Abiad became the winningest coach in program history during the 2011-12 season, and is just five wins shy of reaching the 150-win milestone. During her tenure, Peterson Abiad has led the Vikings to four 19-win seasons, two Horizon League Tournament Championships, and two trips to the NCAA Tournament.
