2014-15 WAC Women's Basketball Preview

10/14/2014 12:00:00 AM

BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS

Head Coach: Greg McCall (Bakersfield, '91)	Roadrunner Links
2013-14 Record: 19-12 / 12-4 WAC	Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1	Roster

The Roadrunners will be led by Tyonna Outland. The redshirt senior was named honorable mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association a year ago. The 5-9 wing was selected All-Region and first team All-Conference, and well as being named to the WAC’s All-Defensive team.
Junior forward Batabe Zempare ended the 2013-14 campaign 24th in Division I in rebounding (10.6). She led the team and the conference in the category. Her 289 rebounds last season reset the Bakersfield Division I record for most rebounds in a game. Zempare led the team in double-doubles a year ago with seven.
Junior Alyssa Shannon emerged as a starter in the ‘Runner backcourt in 2013-14. Shannon, a 5-2 point guard, was the Roadrunner leader in assists (85) and tied for the team lead with Tyonna Outland in steals (42).
Bakersfield had a 10-game home winning streak ended Jan. 18, 2014 by Idaho (96-69). The ‘Runners have won 16 of their past 17 games on the Blue Floor. Since beginning play in the Icardo Center in 2000, the Roadrunners are 83-31 (a .727 winning percentage) at home.
Bakersfield owns an impressive 100-3 all-time record when holding opponents under 60 points. The Roadrunners added to that streak when Bakersfield defeated Utah Valley 66-51 on Mar. 8, 2014.

CHICAGO STATE COUGARS

Head Coach: Angela Jackson (Old Dominion, '91)	Cougar Links
2013-14 Record: 3-27 / 0-16 WAC	Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1	Roster

Senior forward Paris Williams returns to lead the Cougars after averaging 10.4 ppg in 2013-14.
Layne Murphy led CSU in rebounds, averaging 7.0 per contest. Murphy was the lone Cougar to start all 30 games last season, averaging a team-high 34.5 minutes per game.
The Cougars led the WAC in steals (8.7 spg). Individually, Jasmine Sanders led CSU in steals and ranked third in the WAC (1.7).
Head coach Angela Jackson enters the season as the all-time leader in wins at CSU with 123.
Chicago State features seven postseason participants on their schedule, including WBI Champion University of Illinois Chicago.

GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES

Head Coach: Trent May (Southern Nazarene, '95)	Antelope Links
2013-14 Record: 21-9 / 10-6 WAC	Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 0/5	Roster

The Lopes were the top defensive team in the WAC in 2013-14, holding opponents to 60.1 points per game.
Grand Canyon will have an all-new look on the floor as GCU will have to replace all five starters from last season.
New graduate assistant coach Judy Jones was among the top players in the WAC last year before suffering a season-ending injury. In 13 non-conference games, she averaged 13.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg.
In their first season in NCAA Division I, Grand Canyon was the top seed in the West Region of the Women’s Basketball Invitational. The Lopes were defeated by Boise State. 52-51, in the first round.
GCU will play host to 2014 Sweet Sixteen participant Louisville on Dec. 18.

MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY KANGAROOS

Sophomore Grace Mitchell recorded two double-doubles during her debut campaign, registering 10 points and grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds with two steals against Western Illinois on 12/29 and scoring a career-high 15 points with 11 rebounds, a block, a steal and an assist against Chicago State on 1/11.
Senior Lexis Hardiek enters her final season as the 10th best three-point shooter in school history with a career mark of 35.8%.
Finished first in the WAC in free throw percentage (77.2%) and three-point field goal defense (27.0%).
Sophomore Calli White returns for her second season in the Blue & Gold after setting the UMKC freshman record for three-point field goals (73) and three-point field goal attempts (288) and tied for the most games started (30) as a freshman in a season.
Improved their overall wins (9 to 11), conference wins (5 to 7) and home wins (5 to 8) from 2012-23 to 2013-14.

NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES

Head Coach: Mark Trakh (Long Beach State, '81)	Aggie Links
2013-14 Record: 11-20 / 7-9 WAC	Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2	Roster

Junior guard Sasha Weber returns as the top scorer for the Aggies after average 13.7 ppg in 2013-14.
Weber was also among the top three-point shooters in the WAC last season, averaging 2.5 three-pointers per game which was third-best in the conference.
The Aggies led the WAC in three-point field goals made, averaging 8.8 per game.
New Mexico State was also among the top shot blocking teams in the conference, averaging 2.9 blocks per game.
After earning an 86-74 win over UTPA in the quarterfinal round, the Aggies lost to eventual champion Idaho. 75-65, in the semifinal round of the 2014 WAC Tournament.

SEATTLE U REDHAWKS

Head Coach: Joan Bonvicini (Southern Connecticut State, '75)	Redhawk Links
2013-14 Record: 16-16 / 9-7 WAC	Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3	Roster

In the WAC in 2013-14, returners Taelor Ross and Wilma Afunugo ranked in the top 10 in the WAC in several categories. Ross ranked fifth in field goal percentage (53.1 percent) and seventh in blocks (0.89 per game) while Afunugo led the league in field-goal percentage (65.1 percent).
At the end of their season, the team ranked in the top 20 in NCAA Division I field-goal percentage (45.3 percent).
Seattle also led the WAC in rebounding defense, allowing teams just 35.8 rebounds per game.
The Redhawks advanced to the WAC tournament title game for the second straight season.
Head coach Joan Bonvicini ranks 11th on the NCAA Division I all-time wins list for college basketball. She holds a career-record of 682-379 heading into this season.

TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN BRONCS

Head Coach: Larry Tidwell (Austin College, '76)	Bronc Links
2013-14 Record: 14-16 / 8-8 WAC	Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/1	Roster

Last season the Broncs tied the program records for wins in a season at 14 and conference wins in a season at eight.
Shawnte' Goff earned WAC Freshman of the Year and All-Newcomer Team honors last season.
Senior forward Brittany Bush was a member of the 2013-14 WAC All-Defensive Team.
The Broncs visit 2014 Final Four participant Baylor on Dec. 3 in Waco, Texas.
Larry Tidwell is in his second season as the Broncs head coach. He joined the Broncs after six seasons at Lamar, where he took a program that hadn't had a winning record since 1994-95, and led them to six winning seasons and three postseason appearances.

UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES

Head Coach: Cathy Nixon (Brigham Young, '89)	Wolverine Links
2013-14 Record: 7-23 / 4-12 WAC	Complete Schedule
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2	Roster

Sophomore guard Rhaiah Spooner-Knight returns to lead UVU after averaging 11.4 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game in 2013-14.
Fellow New Zealander Georgia Agnew was second in the WAC in assists a year ago, dishing out an average of 4.6 per game.
Junior center Sam Loggins was fourth in the WAC last season in field goal percentage, connecting on 55.5 percent of her attempts.
In the 2014 WAC tournament, the seventh-seed Wolverines nearly knocked off second-seed Bakersfield, falling 65-63 in overtime.
UVU led the WAC in three-point field goal percentage at .343 (137 of 399).

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