Photo by: R. Keith Cole
Women's Basketball Picked Second; Two Honored
10/5/2017 4:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Wright State women's basketball team has been picked second in the 2017-18 Horizon League preseason poll released today in Detroit by league officials. Chelsea Welch was named the Preseason Player of the Year and Lexi Smith was selected to the second team.
The Raiders, winners of 25 games and co-regular-season champions last year, played in the Women's National Invitation Tournament, winning at home against Central Michigan before pushing host Michigan to the brink. The season also saw WSU receiving its first votes in a national Top 25 poll and setting a new mark with 15 wins.
Chelsea Welch, 2017-18 Preseason Player of the Year, was named to the first team a year ago as she led the team and the Horizon League in scoring at 18.6 as well as 5.4 rebounds and 110 assists in 34 games. Welch, a 5-9 senior guard from Kettering, OH/Fairmont, was twice named the League Player of the Week and scored in double digits in all but one game in her first season at WSU after transferring from Pittsburgh.
Lexi Smith, a 5-11 senior forward from Sycamore, IL, was named to the preseason second team. Last year, she averaged 12.8 points and 8.9 rebounds a game in 34 games and was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team. She posted 11 double-doubles with 24 double-figure scoring games and 13 double-figure rebounding games.
The Raiders will host an exhibition game November 1 against Indianapolis. For a complete schedule, click here and, for ticket information, click here. The poll was chosen by the head coaches, sports information directors and one media member from each school.
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Player of the Year: Chelsea Welch, Wright State
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The Raiders, winners of 25 games and co-regular-season champions last year, played in the Women's National Invitation Tournament, winning at home against Central Michigan before pushing host Michigan to the brink. The season also saw WSU receiving its first votes in a national Top 25 poll and setting a new mark with 15 wins.
Chelsea Welch, 2017-18 Preseason Player of the Year, was named to the first team a year ago as she led the team and the Horizon League in scoring at 18.6 as well as 5.4 rebounds and 110 assists in 34 games. Welch, a 5-9 senior guard from Kettering, OH/Fairmont, was twice named the League Player of the Week and scored in double digits in all but one game in her first season at WSU after transferring from Pittsburgh.
Lexi Smith, a 5-11 senior forward from Sycamore, IL, was named to the preseason second team. Last year, she averaged 12.8 points and 8.9 rebounds a game in 34 games and was named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team. She posted 11 double-doubles with 24 double-figure scoring games and 13 double-figure rebounding games.
The Raiders will host an exhibition game November 1 against Indianapolis. For a complete schedule, click here and, for ticket information, click here. The poll was chosen by the head coaches, sports information directors and one media member from each school.
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| Place | School | Votes |
| 1 | Green Bay (21)Â Â Â Â | 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 |
| First Team | School |
| Ashanti Abshaw | Cleveland State |
| Brianne Dohen | Detroit Mercy |
| Jessica Lindstrom | Green Bay |
| Steph Kostowicz | Milwaukee |
| Chelsea Welch | Wright State |
| Second Team | School |
| 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
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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