Coaches tab SHSU women to finish 10th
10/30/2014 8:42:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sam Houston has been picked to finish 10th in the 2015 Southland Conference women's basketball race according to preseason poll of the league's head coaches.
With three starters return from last year's squad, headlined by All-Southland Conference center 6-3 Amanda Beadle, head coach Brenda Welch-Nichols' Bearkats will look to prove the predictions wrong when thee SHSU women begin the season next week.
Sam Houston opens women's basketball with an exhibition game against Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday, November 8.
Junior guard 5-5 Amanda Barnes and senior forward 5-11 Jazmin Wiley also return as starters. Other returning letter winners include seniors Jasmine Robinson and Summer Fife, juniors Jasmin Anderson and sophomores Morghen Day and Taylor Dorsey. Sally Clavelle, a 5-8 junior guard who red-shirted last season, also returns.
Stephen F. Austin has been named as the preseason favorite. The Jacks return the leading scorer in the Southland last year, Porsha Roberts.
Northwestern State was picked for second place in the coaches' poll followed by Lamar, Central Arkansas and McNeese State.
After transitioning to Division I, Abilene Christian and UIW were eligible for preseason polls for the first time, but are not eligible for postseason play until the 2017-18 season.
The top eight teams with the highest winning percentage during conference action will earn berths to the 2015 Southland Conference Basketball Tournament March 12-15, at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
2015 Women's Basketball Preseason Head Coaches' Poll
|
Place |
Team (first place votes) |
Total |
|
1. |
Stephen F. Austin (11) |
142 |
|
2. |
Northwestern State (2) |
116 |
|
3. |
Lamar |
114 |
|
T4. |
Central Arkansas |
99 |
|
T4. |
McNeese State |
99 |
|
6. |
Nicholls |
92 |
|
7. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
82 |
|
8. |
Abilene Christian |
73 |
|
9. |
Houston Baptist |
68 |
|
10. |
Sam Houston State |
53 |
|
11. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
38 |
|
12. |
UIW |
28 |
|
13. |
New Orleans |
12 |
