For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
NSIC Media Relations
Full PDF Release
Wayne State Selected in NSIC WBB Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Arlen Tabbed Preseason Player of the Year
The defending NSIC Regular Season Champions of Wayne State College were selected as the 2011-12 NSIC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ favorite. The Wildcats accumulated 162 points with seven first place votes to earn the honor. Last year’s NSIC / Sanford Health Women’s Basketball Tournament Champions of Winona State (152) were ranked second and received two first place votes while Augustana (148) was third with four first place votes. MSU Moorhead was fourth with 122 points and a first place nod while Minnesota Duluth rounded out the top five with 114 points.
The Wildcats will also boast the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year in Ashley Arlen. Arlen was the 2010-11 NSIC Women’s Preseason Player of the Year as well as the NSIC Player of the Year. She became Wayne State’s first-ever All-American selection after leading Wayne State in scoring (16.4) and rebounding (8.6) during her junior season. She was selected as a WBCA/State Farm Coaches’ First Team All-American and a Daktronics Second Team All-American. She was named Daktronics Central Region Player while earning First Team All-NSIC honors as a junior. She scored in double figures in 26 of 30 games during the season. She tied for third in the NSIC in scoring, ranked second in rebounding and eighth in blocked shots per game (1.10). Arlen also became the 15th player in Wayne State history to score 1,000 points, accomplishing the feat in just two seasons.
NSIC coaches rank each team from 1 to 13 with a first place vote receiving 13 points, second place 12, third place 11, etc. Coaches do not rank their own team or vote for their own players.
The 2011-12 women’s basketball season gets underway on Thursday, November 3rd and NSIC action on December 2nd.
2011-12 NSIC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
| 1 |
Wayne State (7) |
162 |
| 2 |
Winona State (2) |
152 |
| 3 |
Augustana (4) |
148 |
| 4 |
MSU Moorhead (1) |
122 |
| 5 |
Minnesota Duluth |
114 |
| 6 |
Northern State |
113 |
| 7 |
Concordia-St. Paul |
109 |
| 8 |
University of Mary |
92 |
| 9 |
Minnesota State |
71 |
| 10 |
St. Cloud State |
62 |
| 11 |
Minnesota, Crookston |
44 |
| 12 |
SMSU |
39 |
| 13 |
Bemidji State |
31 |
| 14 |
Upper Iowa |
15 |
First Place Votes in ( )
2011-12 NSIC Women’s Basketball Players to Watch
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE - #24 Molly Hayes (G, 5-6, Sr., Harrisburg, S.D. / Harrisburg HS) started all 30 games for Augustana in 2010, averaging 14.3 points and 3.1 rebounds a game. She shot 52.2 percent from the field, led the team in assists (155) and was second in steals (59). Hayes was named NSIC Player of the week twice last season. In 2008 she earned NCC Freshman of the Year and was selected to the All-NSIC second team in 2010 and 2011.
BEMIDJI STATE - #54 Jessie Althoff (F, 6-1, Jr., Becker, Minn. / Becker HS) appeared in 20 games as a sophomore,which included 19 starts. She ranked second on the team in scoring (9.1 pts/gm) and third in rebounding (3.9 reb/gm). She was one of six BSU players to shoot higher than 80 percent from the charity stripe (80.6 percent) on a team that finished ranked in the top 25 nationally for free throw percentage. Althoff led the Beavers in scoring five times while tallying double-figures in scoring in 11 games.
CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL - #21 Jodi Batzel (F, 6-1, So., Rochester, Minn. / Dover-Eyota HS) was named to the All-Freshman last year after playing in 29 games on the season starting 25 of them. She finished fourth on the team in the scoring with 8.2 points per game, second on the team with 4.7 rebounds per game, and finished the season with a .500% field goal percentage, 16th best in a single season. She had a season high 17 points against Upper Iowa. She had 10 rebounds, a season high, against St. Cloud State as she had her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She had nine games with double digit scoring numbers.
UNIVERSITY OF MARY - #22 Ali Collins (G, 5-9, Jr., Mandan, N.D. / Mandan HS) made an immediate impact for the Marauders last season after transferring back home. The junior guard from Mandan, ND, led U-Mary in scoring (11.2 ppg), assists (3.2 apg), and steals (51) and was third in rebounding (4.4 rpg). Collins really turned her game up down the stretch, scoring 20 or more points in four out of the final six games of the season. A strong defender, Collins had a season-high eight steals against Wayne State College, the best total by a U-Mary player since the Marauders moved to NCAA Division II. She also tied her season-high of 23 points in that same game.
MINNESOTA, CROOKSTON -#25 Megan Eul (F, 5-10, Sr., Rosemount, Minn. / Rosemount HS) played in 26 and started in 17 games during the 2010-11 Golden Eagle playoff run. She averaged 9.9 points per game and shot 46.2 percent from beyond the arc good for second on team. Eul averaged 4.6 rebounds per game and was third on the team with 85.5 free-throw percentage. She scored a season-high 21 points against Winona State on 1/14/11 and recorded a season-high nine rebounds (two times). Following the completion of the season, she was named to the NSIC All-Academic team.
MINNESOTA DULUTH - #22 Shelly Stemper (G/F, 6-0, Sr., Becker, Minn. / Becker HS) averaged 5.0 rebounds and recorded 38 steals while shutting down opposing scoring threats all season long for the Bulldogs last season. She was named to the All-NSIC Defensive Team. Stemper also recorded eight blocks and 80 assists as a junior.
MINNESOTA STATE - #25 Jennie Noreen (G, 5-9, Sr., Avon, Minn. / Albany HS) enters her senior season as one of two seniors on the team. The second leading scorer of all returners, Noreen tallied 251 points, 97 rebounds, 61 assists and 45 steals last year while averaging 9.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg in 26 starts. Noreen was the second on the team last year in assists and the top-returning Maverick in that department. She is also the team’s third-leading returning rebounder, third in blocks and second in steals. Noreen’s best game last season came against Southwest Minnesota State (1/8/11) when she poured in a team-best, single-game high 31 points on 10-of-12 shooting while also grabbing five rebounds and adding three assists.
MSU MOORHEAD - #40 Angie Jetvig (F, 6-2, Sr., Hawley, Minn. / Hawley HS) finished the 2010-11 season by leading the Dragons and the NSIC in scoring with 19.3 points per game. She was also ranked No.15 in the nation in scoring. She finished with 15 games of 20 or more points, and scored in double figures in all but two games this season. She also finished with seven double-doubles, including 13 points and 10 rebounds in the NSIC quarterfinal game at Northern State. She was named a first team selection of the Daktronics All-Central Region Team as well as State Farm Coaches’ All-America Team Honorable Mention and DII Bulletin Honorable Mention All-American.
NORTHERN STATE - #10 Emily Becken (PG, 5-7, Sr. Lino Lakes, Minn. / Centennial HS), returning for her senior season, helped lead the Wolves to the semifinals of the Central Region tournament last season. Becken averaged 11.8 ppg last season while shooting 38% from the field. Becken, also a threat from 3-point land, shot 35% from beyond the arc last season while also leading the Wolves in assists at 3.6 per game.
SMSU - #5 Abby Kenealy (C, 6-2, Sr., Farmington, Minn.) appeared in all 26 games, starting 25 of them last season. Kenealy was the team’s second-leading scorer in 2010-11 finishing with 287 points (11.0 points per game). She scored in double-digits in 15 different games, leading SMSU in scoring in 10 of 26 games on the season. She also recorded a team-high two double-doubles last season. Kenealy led the team in field goal attempts (279) and field goals made (112). She finished second on the team with 126 rebounds (4.8 rebounds per game) and 20 blocked shots (0.8 per game). Kenealy was a 40.1 percent shooter from the floor, including 30.4 percent from 3-point range.
ST. CLOUD STATE - # 10 Nicole Anderson (G, 5-6, Jr., Cannon Falls, Minn. / Cannon Falls HS) is a two-year starter for the Huskies, making starts in 52 of 53 career games played. Last season she averaged 7.0 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. She shot 41.4 percent from the field, led the team in steals with 59 and was second in assists with 55. Anderson recorded two double doubles in 2010-11 including a 12 points, ten steal performance against Bemidji State on Jan. 14, 2011. The ten steals tied an SCSU single game record. She was named to the Academic All-NSIC team in 2011.
UPPER IOWA - #30 Jeri Jacobson (G, 5-9, Sr., Riverton, Wyo. Riverton HS) returns to the Peacocks for her senior season. Jacobson played in all 26 games last year while making 21 starts after transferring from Central Wyoming College. The Wyoming native averaged 8.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game scoring 224 points and grabbing 106 rebounds. Jacobson dished out 52 assists while making 20 steals and blocking a pair of shots. She hit 34.5% of her shots from the field and 73.4% of her free throws scoring in double figures 12 times and had a UIU career-best 17 points at St. Cloud State on Jan. 8. She was twice named as an Academic All-American at Central Wyoming after graduating from Riverton High School as the valedictorian.
WAYNE STATE - #31 Ashley Arlen (F, 6-2, Sr., Cascade, Iowa / Cascade HS) was the 2010-11 NSIC Women’s Preseason Player of the Year as well as the NSIC Player of the Year. She became Wayne State’s first-ever All-American selection after leading Wayne State in scoring (16.4) and rebounding (8.6) during her junior season. She was selected as a WBCA/State Farm Coaches’ First Team All-American and a Daktronics Second Team All-American. She was named Daktronics Central Region Player while earning First Team All-NSIC honors as a junior. She scored in double figures in 26 of 30 games during the season. She tied for third in the NSIC in scoring, ranked second in rebounding and eighth in blocked shots per game (1.10). Arlen also became the 15th player in Wayne State history to score 1,000 points, accomplishing the feat in just two seasons.
WINONA STATE - #44 Michelle McDonald (F, 6-0, Sr. Johnsburg, Ill. / Johnsburg HS) was named MVP of NSIC/Sanford Health Women’s Basketball Tournament last season after averaging 21.7 points and 7 rebounds in three Warrior wins. She was an All-NSIC selection after leading the Warriors with 15.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. She recorded seven double-doubles and reached double figures scoring in 27 of 30 games played. Her best game was a season-high 28 points against Mary followed closely by a 27 point performance in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament Championship game against Concordia-St. Paul.