INDIANAPOLIS– This afternoon, Horizon League coaches and members of the media released the 2021-22 Horizon League Preseason Poll for the men’s and women’s basketball programs.

A familiar face to Colonial fans received Horizon League All-League Second-Team honors as Sol Castro earned a spot on the preseason team. Castro averaged just under 10 points per game and five and a half rebounds per game.

She garnered Freshman player of the week honors on the week of January 25, All-Freshman Team honors at the end of the season, the RMU basketball team MVP, and being the first freshman since Missy Spangler (2000-01) to lead the team in scoring.

In the poll, IUPUI claimed the top spot with 11 first-place votes followed by Milwaukee, and Green Bay who earned a single first-place vote.

Right behind the Phoenix is Northern Kentucky, who earned 107 points in the poll along with Oakland and Cleveland State.

Defending Horizon League Champion Wright State is tied for seventh place with Youngstown State.

Robert Morris is slated for ninth place in the Horizon League as Sol Castro, Nina Augustin, Natalie Villaflor, Esther Castedo and Mackenzie Amalia all return to the squad. Rounding out the bottom of the conference are UIC, Purdue Fort Wayne, and Detroit Mercy who finally gets a chance to hit the court once again after canceling their season last year.

IUPUI’s Macee Williams earns Horizon League women’s basketball preseason Player of the Year along with All-League first honors.

As for the men’s side, after winning the Horizon League and receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, Cleveland State sits atop of this year’s preseason poll with 30 first-place votes. Right behind them is Wright State who received nine first-place votes. Northern Kentucky, Milwaukee, and Detroit Mercy follow the Vikings and Raiders.

Oakland rounds out the top half of the standings followed by Youngstown State, UIC, and Purdue Fort Wayne.

Robert Morris secures the number 10 spot as they return two starters this upcoming season from last year’s squad. The team also brings on nine new faces including Ferron Flavors, Rasheem Dunn, and Matt Mayers just to name a few.

Green Bay and Purdue Fort Wayne round out the poll.

Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis was named Horizon League Preseason Player of the year while also being named to Horizon League All-League First Team.