Posted: Nov 08, 2017
ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University women's basketball team was selected as the favorites to win the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association in the 2017-18 preseason coaches poll.
Trine received eight out of nine first-place votes to be selected as the preseason favorite to win the MIAA as voted on by the conference coaches. The Thunder finished with 64 points, followed by Hope (Mich.) College in second with 56 points and one first-place vote and Calvin (Mich.) College rounded out the top-three with 50 points.
Last season, the Thunder tied the single-season school record for wins with 25 (25-3 overall) and captured their first-ever MIAA regular-season and tournament championships. Trine also made its first ever appearance in the NCAA National Tournament and advanced to the second round.
Trine returns all but one starter from a year ago and will be led by the duo of junior Brandi Dawson (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) and senior Hayley Martin (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb). Both players garnered first-team All-MIAA accolades in 2016-17 as well as Dawson earning MIAA Most Valuable Player honors and Martin was tabbed MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. Dawson also went on to earn All-Region and All-American status.
Dawson averaged 15.4 points per game as a sophomore to lead the team, while shooting 54 percent from the field (165-of-303). She also averaged 5.0 rebounds per game and was second in both blocked shots (19) and steals (38).
Martin was second in scoring last season at 14.9 ppg. while shooting 50 percent from the floor (166-of-329). She led the team in rebounding (6.7 rpg.), blocks (64) and was second in steals (37).
Also returning this season as starters from last year are junior Cassidy Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) and sophomore Katy Steers (Portage, Ind./Portage).
Williams was third on the team in scoring at 6.4 ppg. and was tied for the team-lead in assists with 77. She was also amongst the team leaders in steals with 32. Steers averaged 5.5 ppg. and dished out 36 assists to go along with 30 steals.
In addition to the MIAA preseason rankings, Trine will also begin the 2017-18 campaign ranked in both national polls. The Thunder received their highest ranking from D3hoops.com as a top-10 team in ninth place. The Thunder were ranked by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) as the 16th top-ranked team in NCAA Division III. [Full D3hoops.com Poll] [Full WBCA Poll]
| 2017-18 MIAA PRESEASON COACHES POLL | ||
| Place | School (First-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | Trine (8) | 64 |
| 2. | Hope (1) | 56 |
| 3. | Calvin | 50 |
| 4. | Albion | 43 |
| 5. | Adrian | 35 |
| 6. | Alma | 28 |
| 7. | Olivet | 19 |
| 8. | Kalamazoo | 16 |
| 9. | Saint Mary's | 13 |