WAC Coaches Select Utah Valley, Olaeta as Preseason Favorites
DENVER – Utah Valley has been named the favorite to win the 2020-21 women's basketball title and California Baptist's Ane Olaeta was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league's nine head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
After finishing second in the conference a year ago, the Wolverines earned the top spot with 57 points and two first-place votes in the preseason poll. California Baptist collected four first-place votes and tallied 55 points, followed by Grand Canyon with two first-place votes and 47 points. NM State garnered the final first-place vote and a total of 45 points as they were picked to finish fourth while UT Rio Grande Valley came in just behind the Aggies with 44 points. Seattle U claimed sixth with 29 points. Newcomer Tarleton followed the Redhawks to capture the seventh spot with Dixie State and Chicago State rounding out the group.
Olaeta is atop the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. The senior guard is joined on the first team by Utah Valley's Josie Williams and Maria Carvalho, UT Rio Grande Valley's Amara Graham and Aaliyah Prince of NM State.
Second team honors went to Grand Canyon's Laura Piera, NM State's Soufia Inoussa, Tarleton's Alexa Hoy and Seattle U's duo Courtney Murphy and McKenzi Williams.
2020-21 Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Utah Valley (2) |
57 |
| 2. |
California Baptist (4) |
55 |
| 3. |
Grand Canyon (2) |
47 |
| 4. |
NM State (1) |
45 |
| 5. |
UT Rio Grande Valley |
44 |
| 6. |
Seattle U |
29 |
| 7. |
Tarleton |
23 |
| 8. |
Dixie State |
13 |
| 9. |
Chicago State |
11 |
2020-21 Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches' All-WAC Teams
First Team
Ane Olaeta, California Baptist
Amara Graham, UT Rio Grande Valley
Josie Williams, Utah Valley
Maria Carvalho, Utah Valley
Aaliyah Prince, NM State
Second Team
Laura Piera, Grand Canyon
Courtney Murphy, Seattle U
Soufia Inoussa, NM State
Alexa Hoy, Tarleton
McKenzi Williams, Seattle U
Preseason Player of the Year: Ane Olaeta, California Baptist