May 12, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Setting the Record Straight
Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin earned bids to the 2010 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, while Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State and Purdue earned bids to the Postseason WNIT. With nine postseason teams, the Big Ten tied a conference record. The Big Ten record for postseason teams was set in 2002, when six squads made the NCAA bracket and three more earned trips to the Postseason WNIT. The record was tied in 2008 when four teams advanced to the NCAA and five played in the Postseason WNIT. The Big Ten had a higher percentage of its teams (82 percent) competing in the NCAA or PostseasonWNIT than any other conference in the country.
Big Life. Big Stage. Big Dance.
With trips by Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin to the NCAA Tournament, the Big Ten placed four or more teams in the championship event for the third consecutive year and the 17th time in the last 18 years. The Hawkeyes made their 19th overall trip and third consecutive, while the Spartans went for the 10th time overall and seventh time in the last eight seasons. Ohio State earned the 19th bid in program history and has gone every year since 2003. Wisconsin snapped a seven-year NCAA drought, making its seventh tournament and first since 2002.
Getting the Invitation
Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State and Purdue earned selection to the Postseason WNIT, tying the Big Ten record for most teams to participate in that tournament. The invitation marked Illinois’ fifth postseason appearance in the last six years and Michigan’s second in the last three years. Northwestern earned a postseason bid for the first time since 1997 and recorded a postseason win for the first time since 1993. Penn State advanced to postseason play for the first time since 2005, while Purdue has experienced the postseason every year since 1994.
Re-Writing History
Big Ten teams made history several times over in 2010, in terms of both overall and conference wins. Prior to the 2009-10 season, never before had every Big Ten team finished with 10 or more overall wins or five or more conference victories. At the end of the season, every conference squad had 13 or more overall victories and six or more wins during the Big Ten schedule.
20-20 Vision
Iowa (20-14), Michigan (21-14), Michigan State (23-10), Ohio State (31-5) and Wisconsin (21-11) all finished the 2009-10 campaign with 20 or more wins, marking the third consecutive year that at least five Big Ten teams reached the 20-wins marker. This year marked Iowa’s third straight 20-win season, Michigan’s third ever and first since 1999-00, Michigan State’s seventh straight, Ohio State’s eighth consecutive and Wisconsin’s first since 2006-07 and second since 2000-01.
American Girls
Ohio State’s Jantel Lavender earned All-America status again in 2010, receiving recognition on the State Farm Coaches’ (WBCA), Associated Press (AP) and U.S. Basketball Writers teams. Combined with Ohio State men’s basketball player Evan Turner, the Buckeyes were the only school in the country with a representative on the men’s and women’s AP All-America teams. In addition, Iowa’s Kachine Alexander, Michigan State’s Allyssa DeHaan, Ohio State’s Samantha Prahalis and Penn State’s Tyra Grant earned honorable mention All-America status from the AP, while Alexander, Prahalis and Illinois’ Jenna Smith were named honorable mention All-Americans by the WBCA.
New and Improved
Several Big Ten teams posted large improvements in their win totals from 2009, led by Northwestern, who finished with its best record since the 1996-97 season. With 18 wins in 2010, compared to seven in 2009, the Wildcats boasted a turnaround of 11 games. Prior to 2009-10, Northwestern had not registered double-digit victories since 1998-99 and had not advanced to postseason play since 1997. Northwestern’s seven wins in Big Ten play is also the program’s highest total since that 1996-97 season. Michigan has also increased its win total by 11 from last season with 21 wins, which is the program’s highest total since the Wolverines won 22 in 1999-00. Penn State finished its season with 17 wins, which is the program’s highest total since 2004-05 and a six-game improvement from 2008-09. In addition, Illinois’ win total improved by eight, and Wisconsin’s increased by two.
The Next Level
Illinois’ Jenna Smith and Penn State’s Tyra Grant were both taken in the second round of the 2010 WNBA Draft. Smith was taken by the Washington Mystics with the second pick in the second round and was the 14th overall selection. Grant went to the 2009 WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury with the 24th overall pick and the 12th selection in the second round. The Big Ten has had multiple draft picks every year since the league’s inception in 1997.
Welcome Back
Twelve first-, second- and third-team All-Big Ten honorees are scheduled to return to the conference for the 2010-11 season. Among the returnees are first-team members Kachine Alexander (Iowa), Jantel Lavender (Ohio State), Samantha Prahalis (Ohio State) and Amy Jaeschke (Northwestern).
