MARIAN TABBED AS FAVORITES TO WIN CL TITLE
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League announced its 2021-2022 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll and Preseason All-League Team on Wednesday, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Marian was voted as the preseason favorite to defend its Crossroads League Championship, after going unbeaten in league play during the regular season one year ago. The Knights were followed by Taylor, Indiana Wesleyan, Mount Vernon Nazarene and Saint Francis in the top-half of the preseason rankings.
MU’s Imani Guy was selected as the Crossroads League Preseason Player of the Year once again, after playing to NAIA All-American honors for a second-straight year and earning CL Player-of-the-Year recognition. Fellow returning All-Americans, Ella Collier (MU) and Lauren James (TU) joined Guy as Preseason All-CL First-Team selections, in addition to Maggie Coe (MVNU), Cassidy Crawford (USF), Jordan Reid (IWU), Abby Downard (MU) and Taylor Westgate (TU).
The 2021-2022 season is set to open on Friday, October 22, with the first league games slated for Saturday, November 20.
2021-2022 Crossroads League Preseason Poll
1-Marian, 81
T2-Taylor, 67
T2-Indiana Wesleyan, 67
4-Mount Vernon Nazarene, 61
5-Saint Francis, 45
6-Huntington, 44
7-Goshen, 31
8-Grace, 25
9-Spring Arbor, 16
10-Bethel, 13
2021-2022 Crossroads League Preseason All-League
First-Team
-Imani Guy, Marian
-Ella Collier, Marian
-Lauren James, Taylor
-Maggie Coe, Mount Vernon Nazarene
-Cassidy Crawford, Saint Francis
-Jordan Reid, Indiana Wesleyan
-Abby Downard, Marian
-Taylor Westgate, Taylor
Second-Team
-Taniece Chapman, Goshen
-Rylee Pireu, Mount Vernon Nazarene
-Maleah Kunkel, Saint Francis
-Madison Davis, Indiana Wesleyan
-Emily Seboe, Huntington
-Tamia Perryman, Marian
-Maddie Ryman, Grace
-Graysen Cockerham, Goshen
Honorable Mention Team
-Nyla Asad, Bethel
-Sage Brannon, Mount Vernon Nazarene
-Merideth Deckard, Taylor
-Dazia Drake, Huntington
-Kayla Kirtley, Taylor
-Maddie Lawrence, Indiana Wesleyan
-Grace Shoobridge, Spring Arbor