2020–21 Mid-American Conference women's basketball season
The 2020–21 Mid-American Conference women's basketball season began with practices in October 2020, followed by the start of the 2020–21 NCAA Division I women's basketball season in November. Conference play began in January 2021 and concluded in March 2021. In a season limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Bowling Green won the MAC regular season championship with a conference record of 14–4.[1] Ohio's Cece Hooks was named MAC player of the year.[2] Second seeded Central Michigan won the MAC tournament with a 77–72 win over Bowling Green.[3] Micaela Kelly was named the tournament MVP.[4] With the automatic bid, Central Michigan was the only MAC school to qualify for the NCAA tournament where they lost to Iowa in the first round.[5] Bowling Green and Ohio accepted bids to the WNIT. Both lost in the first round.[6]
| 2020–21 Mid-American Conference women's basketball season | |
|---|---|
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| League | NCAA Division I |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Regular season | |
| Champions | Bowling Green |
| Runners-up | Central Michigan |
| Season MVP | CeCe Hooks |
| Tournament | |
| Champions | Central Michigan |
| Runners-up | Bowling Green |
| Finals MVP | Micaela Kelly |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling Green | 14 | – | 4 | .778 | 20 | – | 5 | .800 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Michigan† | 13 | – | 6 | .684 | 17 | – | 8 | .680 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio | 11 | – | 6 | .647 | 14 | – | 8 | .636 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo | 11 | – | 6 | .647 | 15 | – | 9 | .625 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kent State | 10 | – | 6 | .625 | 11 | – | 9 | .550 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 12 | – | 8 | .600 | 14 | – | 11 | .560 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Illinois | 10 | – | 8 | .556 | 12 | – | 12 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Michigan | 7 | – | 7 | .500 | 10 | – | 10 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toledo | 8 | – | 12 | .400 | 12 | – | 12 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Michigan | 5 | – | 14 | .263 | 6 | – | 15 | .286 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Akron | 4 | – | 14 | .222 | 7 | – | 17 | .292 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami (OH) | 3 | – | 17 | .150 | 4 | – | 20 | .167 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † 2021 MAC tournament winner As of March 6, 2021 Rankings from AP poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preseason Awards
The preseason coaches' poll and league awards were announced by the league office on November 19, 2020.[7]
Preseason women's basketball coaches poll
(First place votes in parentheses)
- Central Michigan (10) 142
- Ohio 128
- Ball State (1) 119
- Buffalo (1) 108
- Eastern Michigan 94
- Kent State 88
- Toledo 71
- Northern Illinois 42
- Miami 41
- Akron 39
- Bowling Green 38
- Western Michigan 28
Tournament Champion: Central Michigan (6), Ohio (3), Buffalo (1), Ball State (1), EMU (1)
Honors
| Honor | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Preseason All-MAC First Team | Oshlynn Brown, Ball State |
| Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo | |
| Micaela Kelly, Central Michigan | |
| Cece Hooks, Ohio | |
| Erica Johnson, Ohio | |
| Preseason All-MAC Second Team | Jordyn Dawson, Akron |
| Summer Hemphill, Buffalo | |
| Molly Davis, Central Michigan | |
| Kyra Bussell, Central Michigan | |
| Areanna Combs, Eastern Michigan |
Postseason
Mid–American Tournament
Postseason Awards
- Coach of the Year: Robyn Fralick, Bowling Green
- Player of the Year: Cece Hooks, Ohio
- Freshman of the Year: Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green
- Defensive Player of the Year: Cece Hooks, Ohio
- Sixth Player of the Year: Janae Poisson, NIU
Honors
| Honor | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Postseason All-MAC First Team | Oshlynn Brown, Ball State |
| Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo | |
| Micaela Kelly, Central Michigan | |
| Molly Davis, Central Michigan | |
| Cece Hooks, Ohio | |
| Postseason All-MAC Second Team | Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green |
| Areanna Combs, Eastern Michigan | |
| Nila Blackford, Kent State | |
| Peyton Scott, Miami | |
| Chelby Koker, NIU | |
| Postseason All-MAC Third Team | Jordyn Dawson, Akron |
| Kadie Hempfling, Bowling Green | |
| Ce'Nara Skanes, Eastern Michigan | |
| Erica Johnson, Ohio | |
| Quinesha Lockett, Toledo | |
| Postseason All-MAC Honorable Mention | Sydney Freeman, Ball State |
| Katie Shumate, Kent State | |
| Lindsey Thall, Kent State | |
| Gabby Burris, Ohio | |
| Reilly Jacobson, Western Michigan | |
| Taylor Williams, Western Michigan | |
| All-MAC Defensive Team | Nyla Hampton, Bowling Green |
| Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo | |
| Micaela Kelly, Central Michigan | |
| Areanna Combs, Eastern Michigan | |
| Lindsey Thall, Kent State | |
| Cece Hooks, Ohio, Sr. Guard | |
| All-MAC Freshman Team | Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green |
| Nyla Hampton, Bowling Green | |
| Cheyenne McEvans, Buffalo | |
| Madi Mace, Ohio | |
| Taylor Williams, Western Michigan, Toledo | |
References
- "BG women clinch MAC title with win over Akron". Toledo Blade. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "Ohio's Cece Hooks named MAC women's basketball Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "Central Michigan 77, Bowling Green 72". ESPN. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "2021 MAC Women's Basketball Championship Tournament Finals Recap: #1 Bowling Green Falcons vs. #2 Central Michigan Chippewas". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "Central Michigan 72, Iowa 87". ESPN. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "Bowling Green and Ohio Drop First Round WNIT Matchups". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "Central Michigan Tabbed to Take 2020-21 Women's Basketball Title". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- "2020-21 Women's Basketball Postseason Awards Announced".
