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
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

2020–21 Mid-American Conference women's basketball standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
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	–	14		.333
Miami (OH)	3	–	17		.150			4	–	20		.167
† 2021 MAC tournament winner As of July 7, 2024 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)

1. Central Michigan (10) 142
2. Ohio 128
3. Ball State (1) 119
4. Buffalo (1) 108
5. Eastern Michigan 94
6. Kent State 88
7. Toledo 71
8. Northern Illinois 42
9. Miami 41
10. Akron 39
11. Bowling Green 38
12. 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

Main article: 2021 MAC women's basketball tournament

Postseason Awards

^[8]

1. Coach of the Year: Robyn Fralick, Bowling Green
2. Player of the Year: Cece Hooks, Ohio
3. Freshman of the Year: Lexi Fleming, Bowling Green
4. Defensive Player of the Year: Cece Hooks, Ohio
5. 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

See also

2020–21 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season

References

1. "BG women clinch MAC title with win over Akron". Toledo Blade. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
2. "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.
3. "Central Michigan 77, Bowling Green 72". ESPN. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
4. "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.
5. "Central Michigan 72, Iowa 87". ESPN. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
6. "Bowling Green and Ohio Drop First Round WNIT Matchups". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
7. "Central Michigan Tabbed to Take 2020-21 Women's Basketball Title". Mid-American Conference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
8. "2020-21 Women's Basketball Postseason Awards Announced".