INDIANAPOLIS, Ind – The Horizon League released its 2022-23 Women's Basketball Preseason Teams and Preseason Poll Tuesday afternoon, with Cleveland State junior Destiny Leo earning #HLWBB Preseason Player of the Year honors.
Leo, who is picking up preseason accolades for the second straight season, is the fourth Viking to be selected as the league's preseason player of the year, and the first since Kailey Klein earned the honor prior to the 2009-10 campaign.
As a two-time all-league honoree, Leo returns as Cleveland State's leading scorer from a season ago, as she averaged 18.7 points per game to lead all league players and rank 38th nationally. In addition, Leo led the Vikings with 73 total three-pointers on a .390 three-point field goal percentage – both of which were tops in the league and top-50 among Division I players.
Leo finished her sophomore campaign with a CSU Single-Season Record .906 free throw percentage on the year (125-for-138), while she also currently sits at the top of the CSU Career Record Book shooting 39.1-percent from three-point.
2022-23 HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON FIRST TEAM
Destiny Leo, Cleveland State (Preseason Player of the Year)
Hailey Oskey, Green Bay
Megan Walstad, Milwaukee
Lindsey Duvall, Northern Kentucky
Lilly Ritz, Youngstown State
2022-23 HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON SECOND TEAM
Bailey Butler, Green Bay
Rachel Kent, IUPUI
Ivy Turner, Northern Kentucky
Breanne Beatty, Oakland
Shayla Sellers, Purdue Fort Wayne
In the 2022-23 Horizon League Preseason Poll, the Vikings were selected to finish third, picking up 102 points along with one first-place vote. In addition to Leo, the Vikings return eight letterwinners from last season's team that earned a spot in the #HLWBB Championship game and made the WBI Finals for the second straight year.
Cleveland State's third place selection marks the highest preseason finish for the Vikings since the 2014-15 campaign when they were also picked third.
Cleveland State combined for a 23-9 record last season, marking the fourth 20-win campaign in program history and the second over the last three years. The Vikings advanced to the #HLWBB Semifinals for the third straight year, while their championship game appearance marked the first time that Cleveland State was playing for the tournament title since the 2009-10 season.
The Vikings will be under the direction of fifth-year head coach Chris Kielsmeier, who owns a career record of 482-165, including a 66-49 record during his time at Cleveland State. Last year, Kielsmeier guided the Vikings to their second straight postseason appearance, and sixth in program history.
Both the preseason poll and preseason all-league teams were voted on by the league's 11 head coaches.
2022-23 HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
1. Youngstown State (8) – 118
2. Green Bay (2) – 106
3. Cleveland State (1) – 102
4. Northern Kentucky – 88
5. Milwaukee – 75
6. IUPUI – 67
7. Oakland – 47
8. Purdue Fort Wayne – 44
9. RMU – 42
10. Wright State – 26
11. Detroit Mercy – 11
