INDIANAPOLIS (10/6/2017) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, which was released on Friday by the league office.

Senior forward Brianne Cohen (Toronto, Ont. / York Memorial) earned a preseason honor as she was voted to the Preseason All-Horizon League First Team.

The Titans, entering their third season under the direction of head coach Bernard Scott, received 126 points and was just behind Milwaukee, which earned 129 points and was picked fourth. The defending league champions, Green Bay, was picked to finish first in 21 of the 25 ballots and received the most votes overall with 246 points.

The preseason poll and teams was voted on by the league's head coaches, Sports Information Directors from each institution as well as members of the media.

Cohen was a Second Team All-Horizon League honoree last season after averaging 15.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, while leading the team in blocked shots in 2016-17. She led the Horizon League and ranked No. 12 in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.601). The Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2015-16, Cohen shot 65.0 percent in Horizon League contests and scored in double figures in 14 of the 15 final contests of the season.

Detroit Mercy went 18-14 last season, including 12-6 in the Horizon League to secure its second consecutive winning season under coach Scott. The Titans won two-straight contests at the 2017 Horizon League Championship, making their first title game appearance since the 2011-12 campaign.

The Titans open the 2017-18 season -- their 41st as a program -- on Friday, Nov. 10 at Miami (Ohio). Detroit Mercy, celebrating the 65th anniversary of Calihan Hall this season, plays its first home game on Nov. 13 against Bowling Green and also hosts Michigan State (Nov. 21) and Michigan (Dec. 4) during the season.

2017-18 #HLWBB Preseason Poll
1. Green Bay (21) -- 246
2. Wright State (4) -- 204
3. Oakland -- 139
4. Milwaukee -- 129
5. Detroit Mercy -- 126
6. Cleveland State -- 117
7. IUPUI -- 106
8. Youngstown State -- 93
9. Northern Kentucky -- 59
10. UIC -- 31

2017-18 #HLWBB All-Preseason Teams
First Team
Ashanti Abshaw, Cleveland State
Brianne Cohen, Detroit Mercy
Jessica Lindstrom, Green Bay
Steph Kostowicz, Milwaukee
Chelsea Welch, Wright State

Second Team
Khayla Livingston, Cleveland State
Allie LeClaire, Green Bay
Danielle Lawrence, IUPUI
Taylor Jones, Oakland
Lexi Smith, Wright State

Player of the Year -- Chelsea Welch, Wright State