Northern Kentucky, Oakland Share Top Spot in Horizon League Preseason Poll

Photo courtesy Horizon League

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Northern Kentucky and Oakland shared the top spot in the 2024 Under Armour Horizon League Preseason Poll as selected by the league head coaches.

Northern Kentucky received five first-place votes and finished with 75 points, while Oakland earned four first-place votes and also received 75 points.

Northern Kentucky, coming off the first conference championship and NCAA Division I tournament berth in school history, returns its entire core for the 2024 campaign, headlined by 2023 Horizon League Coach of the Year Kathryn Gleason. The squad returns all of its award winners from a season ago, which includes conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-Horizon First Team selection Maddie Lacer, first team selections Lauryn Hicks and Ella LeMonier and All-Freshman team honorees Jena Rhoads and Brielle DiMemmo.

After reaching the Horizon League Championship game in 2023, Oakland is primed to make another run at the title and will open its 2024 season with a trip to Charleston, S.C., to participate in the Cougar Classic.

Robert Morris placed third in the preseason poll followed by Youngstown State, Green Bay, IUPUI, Cleveland State, Purdue Fort Wayne and Detroit Mercy.

Place. Team (First Place Votes) – Points
T1. Northern Kentucky (5) – 75
T1. Oakland (4) – 75
3. RMU – 64
4. Youngtown State – 48
5. Green Bay – 43
6. IUPUI – 37
7. Cleveland State – 32
8. Purdue Fort Wayne – 21
9. Detroit Mercy – 10

Returning 2023 Horizon All-League Selections
Jenna Deang, Cleveland State (All-League First Team)
Becky Hurosky, Cleveland State (All-League First Team)
Melissa Holzopfel, Cleveland State (All-League Second Team)
Alison Donaugh, Detroit Mercy (All-Freshman Team)
Jenna Holt, Detroit Mercy (All-Freshman Team)
Paige Hanson, Green Bay (Freshman of the Year, All-League First Team and All-Freshman Team)
Madison Bryant, IUPUI (All-League Second Team)
Kendal Calvert, IUPUI (All-League Second Team)
Kayla Freiberg, IUPUI (All-League Second Team)
Kennedy Cowan, IUPUI (All-Freshman Team)
Maddie Lacer, Northern Kentucky (Defensive Player of the Year and All-League First Team)
Lauryn Hicks, Northern Kentucky (All-League First Team)
Ella LeMonier, Northern Kentucky (All-League First Team)
Jena Rhoads, Northern Kentucky (All-League Second Team and All-Freshman Team)
Brielle DiMemmo, Northern Kentucky (All-Freshman Team)
Sydney Campbell, Oakland (Pitcher of the Year and All-League First Team)
Maci Brown, Oakland (All-League First Team)
Reese Ruhlman, Oakland (All-League First Team)
Jen Krizka, Oakland (All-League Second Team)
Tori Countryman, Purdue Fort Wayne (All-League Second Team and All-Freshman Team)
Bailey Manos, Purdue Fort Wayne (All-League Second Team)
Grace Hollopeter, Purdue Fort Wayne (All-Freshman Team)
Alanah Jones, Purdue Fort Wayne (All-Freshman Team)
Sara Fessler, Youngstown State (All-League First Team)
Sophie Howell, Youngstown State (All-League Second Team)
Elyssa Imler, Youngstown State (All-League Second Team)

Returning 2023 Valeo Horizon League All-Academic Team Selections
Jenna Deang, Cleveland State
Jenna Watts, Cleveland State (Honorable Mention)
Samantha Saloun, Green Bay
Kendal Calvert, IUPUI
Alicia Flores, Northern Kentucky
Ella LeMonier, Northern Kentucky
Sydney Campbell, Oakland
Brooke Wintlend, Purdue Fort Wayne
Jane Garver, RMU
Anna Resnik, RMU
Julia Ehrman, RMU (Honorable Mention)
Jillian Jakse, Youngstown State

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