DC Women's Basketball Picked in a Tie for Sixth in HCAC Poll

GREENWOOD, IND.  --  The Defiance College women's basketball team was picked to finish in a tie for sixth place in the 2015-16 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. [HCAC Release]

The Yellow Jackets received 49 points, along with Manchester (Ind.) University, to tie for sixth overall.  Transylvania (Ky.) University was tabbed as the preseason favorite to capture their fourth straight HCAC title with 96 points and six of ten first-place votes.  Bluffton University was second with 88 points and two first-place votes and Hanover (Ind.) College rounded out the top three with 70 points and a first-place vote.  Also receiving a first-place vote was Rose-Hulman (Ind.) Institute of Technology who was picked fourth with 68 points.

DC also had four players named to the "Players to Watch" list in juniors Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry), Erica Smay (Defiance/Tinora), Ashley Williams (Leipic/Pandora-Gilboa) and sophomore Whitney Schalk (Bellevue).

Tietje returns as a first-team All-HCAC award winner last season, her second straight honor, after leading the conference in rebounds per game (12.8), total rebounds (320), defensive rebounds (240), and free-throws made (176).  She ranked second in points per game (19.4), blocks (54), and offensive rebounds (80), third in field goals made (155), fifth in field goal percentage (49.1%), and ninth in free-throw percentage (79.3%).  In addition, Tietje scored a double-double in 20 games and scored in double figures in all but one game.

Smay was selected to the HCAC All-Sportsmanship Team following a season that saw her average 7.8 ppg. She connected on 38 three-pointers on the season which was the 11th most in the HCAC a year ago.  Smay was also 22nd in steals in the conference with 28.

Williams and Schalk both return as starters from last season having started in all 25 games.  Williams averaged 7.2 ppg. and led the team in three-pointers made with 45).  She was also second in assists (55) and steals (29).  Schalk averaged 2.9 ppg. and was the team leader in assists with 82.  She also averaged 3.0 rpg. and tallied 21 steals defensively.

The Yellow Jackets will begin the 2015-16 season on Saturday, Nov. 14 against Hope (Mich.) College at the Karl H. Weaner Center.  Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.