Photo Credit: Michigan Tech

BAY CITY, Mich. — The Michigan Tech women’s basketball team has been picked to win the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division for the second straight year, and Katie Wysocky has been honored as the league’s preseason Player of the Year it was announced today during the league’s annual media day teleconference. In addition, Wysocky and Sarah Stream were both named preseason All-GLIAC North Division.

Tech, which is the national preseason No. 1 team, received 22 of the possible 24 first-place votes in the poll, which was voted upon by the league’s sports information directors and media. Grand Valley State finished second in the poll and garnered the other two first-place votes. Ferris State, Lake Superior State, Northern Michigan and Saginaw Valley State finished third through sixth, respectively.

Northwood edged out Hillsdale to be the favorite in the South Division, followed by Findlay, Ashland, Wayne State and Tiffin.

Michigan Tech returns all five starters and all but one player from last year’s NCAA Elite Eight qualifier. The Huskies won 27 games and claimed the GLIAC North Division after having been picked there to start the season.

The GLIAC’s head coaches selected the preseason all-conference teams. Wysocky, who has totaled 1,334 points and 847 rebounds in three seasons at Tech, is the preseason player of the year. The 6-0 senior forward is a three-time All-GLIAC performer and was an All-American in 2008-09. Stream gained her second straight preseason All-GLIAC honor.  The 5-7 point guard finished second in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio a year ago at 2.9-to-1.

GVSU’s Jasmine Padin and Emma Veach and LSSU’s Emily Joseph joined Wysocky and Stream on the preseason All-GLIAC North Division team. The South Division was represented by Findlay’s Laura Bardall and Audra Mihalic, Hillsdale’s Brooke Knight and Janay Miller and Northwood’s Jodi Ostergren.

Michigan Tech will open its 2009-10 season on Nov. 15 at Minnesota Duluth.

The full rundown of preseason GLIAC Polls and All-GLIAC teams is below.

2009-10 Preseason GLIAC Media Poll
North Division (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Michigan Tech (22) 142
2. Grand Valley State (2) 122
3. Ferris State 74
4. Lake Superior State 72
5. Northern Michigan 67
6. Saginaw Valley State 27

South Division (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Northwood (16) 128
2. Hillsdale (7) 125
3. Findlay (1) 90
4. Ashland 83
5. Wayne State 44
6. Tiffin 34

2009-10 Preseason All-GLIAC Teams
Player of the Year
Katie Wysocky Tech Sr. F

North Division
Jasmine Padin GVSU So. G
Emma Veach GVSU So. G
Emily Joseph LSSU Jr. G
Sarah Stream Tech Sr. G
Katie Wysocky Tech Sr. F

South Division
Laura Bardall UF So. G
Audra Mihalic UF Sr. G
Brooke Knight HC Sr. G
Janay Miller HC Sr. G
Jodi Ostergren NU Jr. F