With the start of the season just around the corner, the Horizon League released its women's basketball preseason poll on Wednesday. The survey of head coaches, sports information directors and select media members picked Valparaiso to finish ninth.

Valpo placed ninth in the regular season standings a year ago, finishing at 10-21 overall and 5-13 in the Horizon League. The season ended on a high note as the Crusaders captured a dramatic, overtime victory over Detroit Mercy 94-91 in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament. Valpo finished the year one game ahead of 10^th-place UIC and one game behind eighth-place Cleveland State.

The Crusaders collected 74 points in the preseason poll. After winning the regular season and tournament titles each of the last two years, Green Bay was once again picked atop the conference, hauling in 29 of the 30 first-place votes. Detroit Mercy’s Rosanna Reynolds was selected as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year.  

The Crusaders host Indianapolis in an exhibition game on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Athletics-Recreation Center. Valpo cranks up the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 12 at Stetson.