Lady Lions Picked for Top Spot in Southland Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
FRISCO, Texas – Southeastern was voted the preseason favorite to earn the Southland Conference women’s basketball title in 2021-22, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.
After earning their highest seed in Southland tournament history in 2020-21, the Lady Lions captured 13 first-place votes and 168 points to top this year’s preseason poll. SLU garnered three preseason all-conference sections in automatic first-teamers Morgan Carrier and Hailey Giaratano and second-teamer Caitlyn Williams. The Lady Lions went 11-8 overall and 10-5 in conference play and return 11 key players for the 2021-22 season. SLU finished the season second in conference play for field goal percentage (.444) and three-point field goal percentage (.392).
Coming off an 11-11 campaign, HBU is the No. 2 team earning one first-place vote and 148 points. The Huskies return eight key players including 2020-21 first-team preseason all-conference honoree Timia Johnson and preseason honoree Kennedy Wilson. HBU finished third in the league with a .715 free throw percentage and fifth in the league with 65.2 ppg.
UIW earned the third spot in the preseason poll with 147 points. Jaaucklyn Moore finished her freshman campaign first on the team with 11.9 ppg, 2.7 assists per game and 10 total blocks. She is one of nine letterwinners returning for the 2021-22 season.
Nicholls is tabbed fourth after receiving one first place vote and 136 points. The Colonels have qualified for post season play for 10 consecutive years. Nicholls accounted for two all-conference honorees in automatic first-teamer Chelsea Cain and second-teamer Chyna Allen. Along with five other key players returning for the 2021-22 season.
A&M-Corpus Christi and McNeese were ranked fifth and sixth, respectively with a one all-conference honoree each. Alecia Westbrook represented the Islanders on the second team, while Divine Tanks earned an automatic first team selection for the Cowgirls.
New Orleans and Northwestern State round out the 2021-22 preseason poll ranked seventh and eighth. The preseason poll is voted upon by the head coach and sports information director from each Southland school. Each individual ranks the other seven teams in their predicted order of regular season finish. Ranking one’s own school is not permitted.
The Southland women’s basketball season gets underway Tuesday, Nov. 9, and will culminate at the 2021 Southland Conference Tournament, March 10-13 in Katy, Texas. All eight schools kick off conference play in the Southland Conference Preseason Tip-Off Event in Katy, Texas, Jan. 3-5.
2020-21 Southland Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
|
School (First-place votes) |
Total |
| 1. |
Southeastern (13) |
168 |
| 2. |
HBU (1) |
148 |
| 3. |
UIW |
147 |
| 4. |
Nicholls (1) |
136 |
| 5. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
133 |
| 6. |
McNeese |
110 |
| 7. |
New Orleans |
90 |
| 8. |
Northwestern State |
89 |
#SouthlandStrong