Horizon League's Official Release

INDIANAPOLIS -- The basketball season officially got underway last week with the Titan Tip-Off and now the predictions are in as the Horizon League released its preseason women's basketball poll with the Detroit Titans picked to finish third. UDM also picked up an individual award as sophomore Yar Shayok (Ottawa, ON/Hillcrest) garnered preseason second team honors.

The poll was released live on the Horizon League Network on Wednesday.

Detroit totaled 224 points and one first-place vote among a canvas of the league's coaches, sports information directors and media members. The Titans were the only other team to receive a first-place tally as Green Bay was the HL's preseason favorite with 269 points (26 first place votes), while Butler was just ahead of the red, white and blue with 231 points.

Cleveland State and UIC tied for fourth with 166, while Milwaukee accounted for 140 votes for sixth. Loyola (93), Wright State (84), Valparaiso (82) and Youngstown State (30) rounded out the poll.

A year after earning the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year and second team All-League accolades, Shayok was selected to the preseason second team. The 6-1 forward is the team's top returning scorer at 11.8 points per game as well as the second leading rebounder in the league at 9.7 per outing.

Green Bay's Kayla Tetschlag was named the preseason Player of the Year.

Detroit returns four starters and nine letterwinners off a team that posted a 17-14 mark and a 14-4 ledger in conference play, tying Butler for second place. The overall wins were the most since the Titans recorded 17 in 2001, while the 14 victories in the league were the most since they went 14-2 in 1997.

The Titans will have one preseason game before the start of the season when they host Saginaw Valley State University on Nov. 8. The official season opener will see Detroit entertain in-state rival Oakland on Nov. 12.