Oct. 21, 2009

2009-10 Summit League Preseason Poll

Elmhurst, IL - The IPFW women's basketball team has been picked fifth in the Summit League by the annual preseason poll of league coaches, SIDs and media. Receiving Preseason All-League individual honors was junior Chelsey Jackson, who was named to the Preseason First Team.

South Dakota State, the regular season and tournament champion last season, was the overwhelming favorite in the league, with 419 points and 25 of the 27 first-place votes. Oakland got one of the remaining first-place votes en route to 365 points, as North Dakota State was picked third with 318 voting points. Oral Roberts got the final first-place vote, and had 289 points, ahead of IPFW's 214 and IUPUI's 212. UMKC (196), Western Illinois (160), Southern Utah (119), and Centenary (48) round out the ten teams in the league.

Last season Jackson was named to the All-League Second Team after averaging a team-best 13.3 points per game and had 59 assists, 26 steals and 3.2 rebounds per contest.

Joining Jackson on the Preseason First Team is Preseason Player of the Year Chazny Morris of UMKC, Inger Hodgson of North Dakota State, Melissa Jeltema of Oakland, Janae Voelker of Oral Roberts and Julia Whitted of IUPUI. South Dakota State had four of the five second-team selections with Maria Boever, Ketty Cornemann, Kristin Rotert and Jill Young, while Oral Robert's Georgia Jones rounded out the second squad.

The Mastodons open their 2009-10 season on November 14 against Wright State at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center, with tip-off slated for 1:00 PM. Among their highlighted non-conference games this season include a November 22 battle at Northwestern which will be broadcast nationally on the Big 10 Network, a December 8 game at Notre Dame, and a December 29 trip to Louisville.

~Dons~