The expectations have never been higher for the IU women’s basketball program.
Indiana has been selected to win the Big Ten by both the coaches and media polls, and its leaders in the backcourt were also recognized on Wednesday.
Senior guard Ali Patberg and junior guard Grace Berger were selected as preseason All-Big Ten honorees, announced by the Big Ten.
The Hoosiers were picked to win the league in 2020-21 by both a vote from the league’s coaches and media. IU was selected to finish ahead of Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern and Ohio State in the coaches’ poll while Northwestern, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio State rounded out in order the ranking from the media.
Berger and Patberg each earned a spot on the conference’s 10-person teams by the league’s coaches and media. Indiana is one of two schools to earn two players on the preseason all-conference list.
This marks the first time in school and conference history the Hoosiers have been picked to win the Big Ten in the preseason polls. Records of preseason polls available from the league date back to the 1998-99 season.
Now in her seventh season leading the program, head coach Teri Moren commented on the preseason honors.
“It is a nice honor to be picked at the top of the Big Ten preseason rankings,” Moren said. “It is a tribute to what these young women accomplished last season. We know, however, that these rankings won’t matter when the games begin this year. We need to continue to do the work every day to get better and prepare for an exciting season. The Big Ten is such a talented and deep conference and every game is a challenge.”
Patberg is coming off a 2019-20 season where she earned All-Big Ten First Team honors. She returns for her sixth year of eligibility this season after an impressive junior campaign in which she led the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game. Patberg also led the program with 5.3 assists per game (third in the Big Ten) and averaged 4.6 rebounds while shooting 49 percent from the floor.
Berger returns after a stellar sophomore campaign where she also earned All-Big Ten First Team honors. The Louisville, Ky. native increased her scoring nearly eight points from her freshman campaign, finishing as the team’s second leading scorer with 13.1 points per game. Berger also added 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and a team-high 1.4 steals per game while scoring in double digits 21 times. She shot 45.6 percent from the floor and 76.9 percent at the charity stripe in 2019-20.
Indiana was ranked No. 16 in the first national AP media poll released on Tuesday.
The 2020-21 NCAA women’s basketball season is slated to begin on November 25 with the Hoosiers still working out details for their final schedule.
2020-21 COACHES BIG TEN PRESEASON RANKINGS
- Indiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Northwestern
- Ohio State
2020-21 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Grace Berger, Jr., G, Indiana
Ali Patberg, Sr., G, Indiana
Monika Czinano, Jr., F/C, Iowa
Ashley Owusu, So., G, Maryland
NAZ HILLMON, Jr., F, Michigan
Nia Clouden, Jr., G, Michigan State
Veronica Burton, Jr., G, Northwestern
LINDSEY PULLIAM, Sr., G, Northwestern
DORKA JUHÁSZ, Jr., F, Ohio State
ARELLA GUIRANTES, Sr., G, Rutgers
2020-21 COACHES BIG TEN CO-PRESEASON PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Naz Hillmon, Jr., F, Michigan
Arella Guirantes, Sr., G, Rutgers
Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS
2020-21 MEDIA BIG TEN PRESEASON RANKINGS
- Indiana
- Northwestern
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Ohio State
2020-21 MEDIA PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Grace Berger, Jr., G, Indiana
Ali Patberg, Sr., G, Indiana
Monika Czinano, Jr., F/C, Iowa
Ashley Owusu, So., G, Maryland
Naz Hillmon, Jr., F, Michigan
Nia Clouden, Jr., G, Michigan State
Veronica Burton, Jr., G, Northwestern
LINDSEY PULLIAM, Sr., G, Northwestern
Dorka Juhász, Jr., F, Ohio State
ARELLA GUIRANTES, Sr., G, Rutgers
2020-21 MEDIA BIG TEN PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lindsey Pulliam, Sr., G, Northwestern
Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS
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