Preseason honors are out for the upcoming Big Ten Conference women's basketball season – from both the coaches and a select media panel – and Lindsay Whalen's Gophers are well-represented:
--The Gophers – who finished in a tie for third last season – are picked by the media to finish third, behind Maryland and Iowa. They were not among the top three in the coaches' poll.
---Senior guard Kenisha Bell was one of 11 players recognized by both the media and the coaches on the preseason all-conference team. She was a unanimous pick by the coaches.
--Sophomore forward/guard Destiny Pitts – last season's conference freshman of the year – was named to the media's pre-season all-conference team.
Last year Bell was an honorable mention all-American by the Associated Press, was a the Big Ten's first-team all-conference player and was on the conference's all-defense team. She averaged 20.0 points and 6.8 assists per game.
Pitts, meanwhile, led the Gophers with 7.2 reobunds last season and was fourth on the team in scoring (13.3); her 90 three-pointers made is a school record for freshmen.
Maryland was picked by both coaches and the media to win the conference, and Iowa was picked by both for second place. The coaches tabbed Michigan to finish third.
Here are all the preseason honors:
018-19 COACHES BIG TEN PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Maryland
2. Iowa
3. Michigan
2018-19 COACHES PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM*
Alex Wittinger, Sr., F, Illinois
Kathleen Doyle, Jr., G, Iowa
MEGAN GUSTAFSON, Sr., F, Iowa
KAILA CHARLES, Jr., G, Maryland
HALLIE THOME, Sr., C, Michigan
Shay Colley, Jr., G, Michigan State
KENISHA BELL, Sr., G, Minnesota
Hannah Whitish, Jr., G, Nebraska
Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Sr., F, Northwestern
Teniya Page, Sr., G, Penn State
Ae'Rianna Harris, Jr., F, Purdue
Dominique Oden, Jr., G, Purdue
2018-19 COACHES BIG TEN PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Megan Gustafson, Sr., F, Iowa
2018-19 MEDIA BIG TEN PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Maryland
2. Iowa
3. Minnesota
2018-19 MEDIA PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM*
Alex Wittinger, Sr., F, Illinois
Kathleen Doyle, Jr., G, Iowa
MEGAN GUSTAFSON, Sr., F, Iowa
KAILA CHARLES, Jr., G, Maryland
Hallie Thome, Sr., C, Michigan
Kenisha Bell, Sr., G, Minnesota
Destiny Pitts, So., G/F, Minnesota
Hannah Whitish, Jr., G, Nebraska
Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Sr., F, Northwestern
Teniya Page, Sr., G, Penn State
Ae'Rianna Harris, Jr., F, Purdue
Dominique Oden, Jr., G, Purdue
2018-19 MEDIA BIG TEN PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Megan Gustafson, Sr., F, Iowa
Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS
* - additional honorees due to ties in voting
