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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 8 • 38 BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com B ig Ten newcomer Maryland is tabbed as the favorite to win the conference, according to both league coaches and media. The Terrapins, a Final Four par- ticipant last season, were chosen No. 1 at the Big Ten Media Day in Chicago on Thursday, followed by Michigan State. The coaches picked Iowa No. 3, while the media took Nebraska. Purdue coach Sharon Versyp said the addition of Maryland and Rutgers, led by Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer, will make the Big Ten even stronger. "Welcoming Maryland and Rutgers into our league again has just made our conference bring it to another level, and I think that's very exciting," Versyp said from the podium, according to the league's transcript. "We've always said the Big Ten top to bottom has been the strongest league in the coun - try. And now adding those two is just going to hopefully continue to grow our conference and be able to march on during March Madness. "We want to be the No. 1 con- ference in the country. … It's excit- ing. You get to go to the East Coast. I know for them, it's very difficult. They've got to work with 12 new teams, and they're the ones who have to travel the furthest. So it's difficult on their end. "But you want to be the best. That's why we're in our professions. That's why our student-athletes come to our schools and again, we just need to forge forward and en- joy the moment." BANHAM HEADLINES PRESEASON TEAM Minnesota senior guard Ra- chel Banham was named the Big Ten Preseason Player-of-the-Year, by both the coaches and media. Two others — Iowa senior guard Samantha Logic and Ne- braska junior guard Rachel The- riot — were also honored on both teams. The coach- es filled their ros- ter with Michigan State sophomore guard Aerial Pow- ers and North- western sopho- more forward Nia Coffey. The media had three addi- tional (due to a tie), with Mary- land guard Lexie Brown, Minne- sota sophomore center Amanda Zahui B. and Ohio State junior guard Ameryst Alston. Banham, who averaged a league best 23.3 points per game last sea- son and has 1,993 career points, was picked on the all- conference pre- season team for the third straight season. j Tom Campbell Sharon Versyp says Maryland and Rutgers are a welcome addition to the Big Ten. The Terrapins are picked to win the league this season. 2014-15 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time Nov. 9 FINDLAY (exb.) (BTN Plus) 2 p.m. Nov. 14 at Ball State 7 p.m. Nov. 19 GREEN BAY 5:30 p.m. Nov. 23 TOLEDO (BTN Plus) 2 p.m. Junkanoo Jam, Freeport, Bahamas Nov. 28 Texas Tech 3:15 p.m. Nov. 29 Geo. Washington/N Carolina 1/3:15 p.m. Big Ten/ACC Challenge Dec. 3 FLORIDA STATE (BTN Plus) 7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Dayton 2 p.m. Dec. 11 KANSAS (BTN Plus) 7 p.m. World Vision Classic Dec. 19 UC IRVINE Noon Dec. 20 DENVER 2:30 p.m. Dec. 21 WRIGHT STATE 2:30 p.m. Dec. 28 at Illinois (BTN Plus) 3 p.m. Jan. 1 MINNESOTA (BTN Plus) 2 p.m. Jan. 4 INDIANA (BTN Plus) 2 p.m. Jan. 8 at Maryland (BTN) 6:30 p.m. Jan. 11 at Iowa (BTN) TBA Jan. 15 WISCONSIN (BTN Plus) 7 p.m. Jan. 19 at Nebraska (BTN) 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at Minnesota (BTN Plus) 8 p.m. Jan. 25 OHIO STATE (BTN Plus) 2 p.m. Jan. 29 RUTGERS (BTN) 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at Indiana (BTN) 8:30 p.m. Feb. 8 PENN STATE (BTN Plus) 2 p.m. Feb. 11 NORTHWESTERN (BTN Plus) 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at Rutgers (BTN) Noon Feb. 17 at Ohio State (BTN) 7 p.m. Feb. 21 ILLINOIS (BTN/BTN Plus) TBA Feb. 24 at Michigan (BTN) 7 p.m. Feb. 28 MICHIGAN STATE (BTN) 2 p.m. March 4-8 Big Ten Tournament* TBA * Sears Centre, Hoffman Estates, Ill. All times ET W O M E N ' S BA S K E T BA L L : N E W S A N D N OT E S Double vertime MARYLAND TABBED NO.1