Kats picked ninth, 10th in SLC entering year
10/31/2016 12:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
2016-17 Southland Conference Preseason Poll
2016-17 Schedule • Purchase Season Tickets
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Sam Houston State women's basketball has been picked to finish 10th by the Southland Conference head coaches and ninth by the league sports information directors entering the 2016-17 season, the conference office announced Monday.
The Bearkats, who picked up 66 points in the coaches' poll and 60 points in the SIDs poll, advanced to the Southland Conference Tournament championship game a season ago after finishing eighth during the regular season.
Abilene Christian, last year's Southland Conference champion in just its third year of NCAA Division I membership, is the choice to repeat, picking up 10 first-place votes by the coaches and 11 by the SIDs. Central Arkansas was chosen second, followed by Stephen F. Austin.
A LOOK AT 2016-17
Looking to build on that success, this year's new-look squad features seven incoming freshmen and four transfers. Among those includes fall signees Trinity Baptiste from Hillsborough High School (Tampa, Fla.) and Rachel Harrell from Brock High School (Weatherford, Texas).
The duo was nominated to participate in the 2016 McDonald's All-American Games with Baptiste being one of 27 girls' basketball players from Florida on the list and Harrell among 78 from Texas.
Senior center Jasmine McCants leads all returners, finishing her junior year ranked as Sam Houston's fifth-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder. The Pensacola, Fla., native is joined by senior guard Morghen Day, junior guard Angela Delaney, sophomore forward Lydia Baxter and sophomore center Ashleigh Cooper.
FORMIDABLE SCHEDULE AWAITS KATS
Sam Houston will play 12 home games and pay visits to Arkansas, TCU and LSU among others during the 2016-17 schedule, head coach Brenda Welch-Nichols announced Thursday.
The Bearkats host Our Lady of the Lake in exhibition play on Sunday at 2 p.m. and return to Johnson Coliseum for the regular-season home opener against Wiley College on Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. for the annual “Pack The House” game.
After taking on UT Rio Grande Valley on Nov. 21, Sam Houston hits the road for eight straight including visits to LSU (Dec. 14) and Texas State (Dec. 19). The Kats tip of Southland Conference play with road action against Houston Baptist (Jan. 2) and McNeese (Jan. 5).
Sam Houston will play four league home games in January beginning with Nicholls on Jan. 7. The Kats play four straight at Johnson Coliseum against Lamar (Jan. 18), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Jan. 21), Southeastern Louisiana (Jan. 28) and Stephen F. Austin (Feb. 2).
The squad also hosts Houston Baptist (Feb. 11), Northwestern State (Feb. 23) and Abilene Christian (Feb. 25) before closing out the home slate against McNeese on March 2. After reaching the Southland Conference Tournament championship game a season ago, the Kats will be vying for more March 7-12 at the league tournament in Katy.
SEASON TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
Season ticket packages for the 2016-17 Sam Houston State men's and women's basketball season are now on sale by contacting the Bearkat ticket office at (936) 294-1729.
Ticket packages include games at Johnson Coliseum for 20 events total as well as Southland Conference doubleheaders. Season ticket holder benefits include access to the new Bearkat Champions Basketball Club at no additional cost for the 2016-17 season, priority on Southland Conference Tournament tickets, priority on postseason events at the Johnson Coliseum and NCAA Tournament tickets.
Bearkat Champion Lower Reserved (Section E and F) are on sale for $200 with a $100 donation to the Bearkat champions Fund included in the cost. The donation helps support scholarships for Sam Houston student-athletes. Lower Corner Reserved (Section J and K) are available for $99 while General Admission seats are priced at $75.
