WAC Coaches Select NM State, Goff as Preseason Favorites
DENVER - NM State is the favorite to win the 2016-17 Western Athletic Conference women's basketball title and UT Rio Grande Valley's
Shawnte' Goff 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 second straight WAC title last season, received 49 points and seven first place votes in the preseason poll. UT Rio Grande Valley was a close second with 42 points and the remaining first place vote. Grand Canyon earned the third spot with 34 points while CSU Bakersfield was selected fourth with 29 points. UMKC was predicted fifth with 26 points, followed by Utah Valley (23), Seattle U (13) and Chicago State (8).
Goff, the 2015-16 WAC Player of the Year, leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining her on the first team are NM State's
Moriah Mack and
Brianna Freeman, Utah Valley's
Mariah Seals and Grand Canyon's
Jessica Gajewski.
Second team selections include
Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir (UT Rio Grande Valley),
Kaylee Allen (Chicago State),
Aries Washington (UMKC),
Kaylee Best (Seattle U) and
Erika Williams (CSU Bakersfield).
2016-17 Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
NM State (7) |
49 |
| 2. |
UT Rio Grande Valley (1) |
42 |
| 3. |
Grand Canyon |
34 |
| 4. |
CSU Bakersfield |
29 |
| 5. |
UMKC |
26 |
| 6. |
Utah Valley |
23 |
| 7. |
Seattle U |
13 |
| 8. |
Chicago State |
8 |
2016-17 Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches All-WAC Teams
First Team
Shawnte' Goff, UT Rio Grande Valley
Moriah Mack, NM State
Brianna Freeman, NM State
Mariah Seals, Utah Valley
Jessica Gajewski, Grand Canyon
Second Team
Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir, UT Rio Grande Valley
Kaylee Allen, Chicago State
Aries Washington, UMKC
Kaylee Best, Seattle U
Erika Williams, CSU Bakersfield
Preseason Player of the Year: Shawnte' Goff, UT Rio Grande Valley