Gratton and Maggert Selected Preseason All-MAC
October 28, 2009 | Women's Basketball
"The fact that we were not selected as the preseason favorite to win the MAC West Division reinforces the point I made just yesterday with our team," said Ball State Head Basketball Coach Kelly Packard. "We do not receive a credit or an advance this season based on last year's success. Last year's success was a result of a tremendous group effort and hard work. Achievement by this year's team will take the same ingredients. There are no shortcuts."
Gratton was named Third Team All-Mid American Conference last year. She earned MAC Player of the Week honors Feb. 2 after averaging 20.0 points per game and 7.0 rebounds helping the Cardinals to victories over North Dakota and Miami. Gratton helped the Cardinals to their first ever MAC Tournament Championship after averaging 11.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in three games at the Tournament. She hit a big three-pointer down the stretch in the MAC championship to tie the game 51-51. Gratton scored six points and pulled down five boards in the Cardinals 71-55 upset over Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Last season she averaged 11.7 points per game while leading the team in rebounding with 7.0 a contest.
Maggert shot 54 percent from the field last year leading her team in field goal percentage. She also led the Cardinals in points with 470 and was third in rebounding averaging 6.0 boards a game. Maggert received All-Mid-American Conference Tournament Team honors after averaging 13.3 points per game and 4.0 rebounds during the MAC Tournament. Maggert was also named Third Team All-MAC last season. She chipped in seven points while pulling down nine boards in a 71-55 upset over Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This is Maggert's second time she has garnered preseason All-MAC accolades.
"I'm obviously proud of both Danielle and Emily for their selection to the Preseason All-MAC West Division Team," said Packard. "The selection recognizes their past success as individual players and their contribution to the team's overall success. It also acknowledges the expectation of further production from each of them by their MAC peers."
The Ball State University women's basketball team will open the 2009-10 season at Big Ten foe Michigan, Nov. 13.
