LAS VEGAS - NM State is the favorite to win the 2015-16 Western Athletic Conference women's basketball title and the Aggies'
Brianna Freeman was selected WAC Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league's eight head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
The Aggies, who won their first WAC title last season, received 49 points and seven first place votes in the preseason poll. CSU Bakersfield was selected second with 39 points. Seattle U earned the third spot with 33 points and the remaining first place vote while UT Rio Grande Valley was selected fourth with 30 points. Grand Canyon was predicted fifth with 27 points, followed by Utah Valley (26), Missouri-Kansas City (13) and Chicago State (7).
Freeman, the 2014-15 WAC Player of the Year and 2015 WAC Tournament MVP, leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining her on the first team are teammates
Sasha Weber and
Shanice Davis, UT Rio Grande Valley's
Shawnte' Goff and Seattle U's
Taelor Ross.
Second team selections include
Rhaiah Spooner-Knight (Utah Valley),
Alyssa Shannon (CSU Bakersfield),
Batabe Zempare (CSU Bakersfield),
Crystal Allen (Seattle U) and
August Touchard (Grand Canyon).
2015-16 Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
NM State (7) |
49 |
| 2. |
CSU Bakersfield |
39 |
| 3. |
Seattle U (1) |
33 |
| 4. |
UT Rio Grande Valley |
30 |
| 5. |
Grand Canyon |
27 |
| 6. |
Utah Valley |
26 |
| 7. |
Missouri-Kansas City |
13 |
| 8. |
Chicago State |
7 |
2015-16 Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches All-WAC Teams
First Team
Brianna Freeman, NM State
Shawnte' Goff, UT Rio Grande Valley
Sasha Weber, NM State
Taelor Ross, Seattle U
Shanice Davis, NM State
Second Team
Rhaiah Spooner-Knight, Utah Valley
Alyssa Shannon, CSU Bakersfield
Batabe Zempare, CSU Bakersfield
Crystal Allen, Seattle U
August Touchard, Grand Canyon
Preseason Player of the Year: Brianna Freeman, NM State