MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Milwaukee women's basketball team was predicted to finish fifth in the Horizon League, announced by the league office on Tuesday morning. Megan Walstad was named to the Preseason All-League First Team. 
 
Voted on by the league coaches, the Panthers received 75 total poll points to sit in fifth of 11 teams. Youngstown State earned eight of 10 first-place votes and 118 total poll points as the preseason favorite.
 
Walstad dominated the post all season in 2021-22, leading the team and ranking among the league's leaders in points per game (14.4), rebounds per game (9.1), field goal percentage (48.8), free throw percentage (88.9), and blocks per game (1.5) as she earned her second straight First Team All-League nod.
 
The redshirt junior will look to lead a group of 11 returners and three newcomers.
 
Destiny Leo of Cleveland State was named Preseason Player of the Year and was joined on the First Team by Walstad, Hailey Oskey (Green Bay), Lindsey Duvall (Northern Kentucky), and Lily Ritz (Youngstown State).
 
Green Bay picked up two first-place votes and 106 poll points as they were picked to finish second to the Penguins, just edging out Cleveland State (102 poll points). Northern Kentucky earned 88 poll points as the only other team ahead of Milwaukee.
 
Defending Horizon League Champion IUPUI was predicted sixth with 67 poll points, followed by Oakland (47), Purdue Fort Wayne (44), and Robert Morris (42).
 
Wright State and Detroit Mercy rounded out the poll with 26 and 11 poll points, respectively.
 
Horizon League play begins the first weekend of December and then picks up again on December 29. MKE hosts Green Bay on December 1 to open league play.
 
Tickets for the upcoming season can be found by going to MKEPanthers.com/Tickets or by calling (414) 229-5886. Additional details including live coverage links will be released at a later date.
 
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