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NMU women cagers top GLIAC North preseason voting

HOUGHTON –Northern Michigan University and Michigan Tech University have been picked to finish second and third in GLIAC North Division men’s basketball this season.

Ferris State, which won the NCAA Division II title last year, is the preseason favorite in voting by GLIAC coaches. The Bulldogs received nine first-place votes and 58 points.

NMU has three first-place votes and 47 points, Tech, also picked third last year, had 43 points. Lake Superior State is fourth with 34 points, followed by Parkside 23, and Purdue Northwest 11.

Tech has five Upper Peninsula products, including sophomore Dawson Bilski of Powers North Central. Sophomore Trent Bell (Ishpeming Westwood) and senior KC Borseth (Bessemer) also return to the Huskies.

Newcomers include Jake Witt of Ewen-Trout Creek and Devin Schmitz of Dollar Bay.

Tech starts its season Nov. 10 by facing Lewis College in Marquette at 1 p.m. The home opener is Dec. 6 against Parkside.

Tech has an exhibition game Nov. 1 at Wisconsin-Green Bay.

NMU, which has an exhibition game Tuesday at Michigan State University, opens the regular season Nov. 10-11 by hosting McKendree and Lewis College, respectively, in the GLVC-GLIAC Challenge.

NMU has three U.P. cagers, redshirt freshmen Marcus Krachinski of North Central and Carson Wonders of Iron Mountain, and true freshman Hart Holmgren of Ishpeming.

Senior Naba Echols has been named the GLIAC’s preseason player of the year after averaging 17.5 points a game last year. Senior Isiah Johnson also averaged 17.5 points and was the Wildcats’ top rebounder.

In the South Division, Ashland is No. 1 with 10 first-place votes and 60 points. Grand Valley State is second, followed by Davenport, Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State, with Northwood sixth.

On the women’s side, NMU is picked to win the North Division while Michigan Tech is second. NMU had 60 points and 10 first place votes while Tech had 50 points and two first places. The U.P. teams are followed by Ferris State, Parkside, Lake Superior State and Purdue Northwest.

Grand Valley is the preseason No. 1 in the South, with defending champion Ashland second.

Tech won the North Division last year and finished 23-6 after reaching the NCAA D-II national tournament.

Sam Hoyt, a former Tech cager, makes her debut as Tech’s coach when the Huskies host St. Norbert College in an exhibition game tonight. Tech then goes to Eastern Michigan for an exhibition Thursday.

Michelle LaFave of Escanaba returns for her final season at Tech. The only other U.P. player on the roster is freshman Clara Johnson of Negaunee.

NMU has four U.P. products, senior Sydney Dillinger of Houghton, sophomores Teresa Ledy and Amber Huebner of Marquette and freshman Madigan Johns of Ishpeming.

The Wildcats face Finlandia University in an exhibition Nov. 3, then face Lewis and Indianapolis Nov. 10-11 in the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge.

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