Coaches tab Disterhoft to preseason team

IOWA CITY - Ally Disterhoft is a preseason all-Big Ten women's basketball player, as voted upon by the conference coaches.

A junior from Iowa City West, Disterhoft averaged 15 points per game last season as the Hawkeyes went 26-8 and reached the Sweet 16. Disterhoft needs 23 points to reach the 1,000-point career mark.

Defending champion Maryland was selected as the preseason Big Ten favorite by the coaches and media. Ohio State was second by both parties, with Northwestern picked third by the media and Michigan State by the coaches.

Ohio State's Kelsey Mitchell garnered Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year accolades.

Maryland's Brionna Jones and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Michigan State's Aerial Powers, Minnesota's Rachel Banham, Nebraska's Rachel Theriot, Northwestern's Nia Coffey, Ohio State's Ameryst Alston and Mitchell, and Rutgers' Kahleah Copper earned nods as Preseason All-Big Ten honorees from both the coaches and the media. Disterhoft was voted to the coaches' preseason squad, while Michigan State's Tori Jankoska was voted to the media's list.

Mitchell became the first freshman to ever lead the nation in scoring last year, and was the only player in the country to score 800 points. She was named Big Ten co-Player of the Year, and was the unanimous selection as Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

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