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BAY CITY, Mich. - The SVSU women's basketball team has been picked to finish second in the GLIAC North Division in the 2016-17 coaches poll, released Thursday morning. The Lady Cardinals are coming off the program's first ever GLIAC North Division title and second-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament, where they advanced to the round of 32 with the program's second ever win in the annual tourney.
SVSU received two of the seven possible first place votes, landing in second with 45 points. Grand Valley State was picked as the favorite in the North Division, garnering five first place nods and 47 points. Michigan Tech (35), Northwood (32), Northern Michigan (25), Wayne State (17), Ferris State (12) and Lake Superior State (11) rounded-out the north division's preseason poll. Ashland University was chosen to win the league's South Division.
Emily Wendling, the reigning GLIAC Player of the Year, Midwest Region Player of the Year and multiple all-american selection, is listed on the preseason All-GLIAC Team and is the coaches' choice to repeat as the Player of the Year. She has been chosen First Team All-GLIAC twice, Second Team once and also earned Freshman of the Year honors in her first season.
The women have been named as the preseason no. 6-ranked team in the Women's Division II Bulletin's preseason edition, where they were listed as the favorite to claim the North Division and Emily Wendling was named that publication's GLIAC preseason Player of the Year and a Super 16 selection.
2016-17 Saginaw Valley State Preview
The Lady Cardinals look to build on a stellar 2015-16 season where SVSU advanced to the NCAA Division II Round of 32 after posting just its second-ever NCAA tournament victory in the program's second appearance in the national tourney. It will do so with a solid base of returners for head coach Jamie Pewinski, who returns to patrol the bench for her sixth season at Saginaw Valley State University.
Saginaw Valley returns senior all-american center Emily Wendling to lead the way, as she led the GLIAC with 18.1 ppg in 2015-16 en route to being named the GLIAC Player of the Year and Midwest Region Player of the Year. GLIAC Freshman of the Year Halee Nieman, All-GLIAC Second Team honoree Katelyn Carriere and sophomore point guard Anna Hall also return as starters from last year's 22-9 squad that claimed its first GLIAC North Division title.
SVSU opens the season with a GLIAC / GLVC Crossover tournament, facing-off against regional opponents Wisconsin-Parkside (Nov. 12) and St. Joseph's (Nov. 13) in the event that is hosted by the the Lady Cardinals.
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