United Athletic Conference

It's schedule enters it's first full week as there is WAC women's basketball every day. Among the intriguing matchups on Tuesday are Lamar visiting Ole Miss, Grand Canyon hosting Eastern Washington and Utah Valley heading to future WAC foe Southern Utah. Wednesday features NM State making the short trip to rival UTEP and California Baptist visiting nationally-ranked Oregon State while Thursday sees an undefeated Stephen F. Austin team heading to College Station to battle nationally-ranked Texas A&M.  Friday sees Utah Valley at Nevada and Lamar at Texas Tech while Saturday features Chicago State heading to Loyola-Chicago, Grand Canyon visting former WAC foe Kansas City and California Baptist making its home debut against UC Irvine. Sunday has just one game on the schedule as UT Rio Grande Valley hosts McNeese State.

 

Utah Valley's Maria Carvalho has been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week and Lamar's Akasha Davis was named TicketSmarter WAC Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week for November 8-14.

 

Carvalho, a junior guard from Lisbon, Portugal, matched her career-high with 23 points in a season opening win against Park (Ariz.) and then followed that up with 20 points and 10 rebounds, also adding six steals, in a 71-62 loss to Fresno State on Thursday. On the week, she averaged 21.5 points per game while shooting .500 from the field, adding 4.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game.

 

Davis, a freshman forward from Dallas, opened her career with 12 points at New Mexico and then had a breakout game in the home-opener against Howard Payne, scoring 27 points to go with 13 rebounds, three blocks and two assists. On the week, she was 14-for-16 from the field for an .875 clip and added 8.0 rebounds per game to go with 2.0 steals and 1.0 assists per game.

 

Other nominees included: Abilene Christian's Tatum Barber averaged 12.0 points per game in a pair of season-opening wins as the 'Cats earns wins over Southwest (N.M.) and UTSA … California Baptist's Caitlyn Harper scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds in a 62-59 win at rival UC Riverside … Chicago State's Aaliyah Collins had six rebounds in a loss at Wichita State and followed that up with 12 points in a loss to UAB … Grand Canyon's Jay McChristine scored 12 points in just 16 minutes, adding eight rebounds, four steals and three assists in a 95-48 win over Arizona Christian … Lamar's Sabrina Dean put up 31 points, including eight three-pointers, in a 107-37 win over Howard Payne on Friday … NM State's Bigue Sarr led NMSU to a 2-0 week, averaging 14.5 ppg and 7.0 rpg in wins over Western New Mexico and UIW … Seattle U's Bree Calhoun set the SU Division-1 record with 15 assists in a 89-32 win over Northwest (Wash.) … Tarleton's Malaya Kendrick averaged 11.5 rebounds per game in a road loss at Arkansas and home win against Champion Christian … UT Rio Grande Valley's Taylor Muff scored double-figures in both games, averaging 13.5 ppg, in road losses at South Florida and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

 

Other freshman nominees included: Abilene Christian's Bella Earle scored the first points of her career as part of a 13-point effort in a 99-43 win over Southwest (N.M.) … Chicago State's Aaliyah Collins averaged 10.0 points per game in the Cougars' first two games of the season … Grand Canyon's Ja'Mya Powell-Smith was 6-for-8 from the field, totaling 14 points in a 95-48 win over Arizona Christian … Seattle U's Taliyah Clark was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, averaging 8.0 points per game in a win against Northwest (Wash.) and loss to UC San Diego … Utah Valley's Ally Blackham hit a trio of three-pointers to finish with nine points in a 71-62 loss to Fresno State.

 

After just one week of play, Grand Canyon leads the WAC offensively at 95.0 points per game. NM State is tops defensively, allowing just 44.0 points per game. GCU is also leading in scoring margin (+47.0), field goal percentage (.482), steals (27.0) and turnover margin (+23.0) while NMSU leads the WAC in rebounding defense (30.5) and assist/turnover ratio (1.7). Utah Valley holds the top free throw percentage (.857) while Abilene Christian is the leader in both field goal defense (.270) and three-point FG percentage (.379). UVU and ACU are also tied with Seattle U for the lead in assits (19.5) and the Redhawks are also tops in rebounding offense (53.5), rebounding margin (+13.5) and offensive rebounds (21.0). California Baptist is best in three-point defense (.118) and defensive rebounds (44.0) while Stephen F. Austin is the top shot-blocking team at 6.7 per game. Dixie State is averaging the most three-pointers, averaging 11.7 per game.

 

Individually, LU's Sabria Dean is the leading scorer (22.5) and CBU's Georgia Dale is the leading rebounder (15.0). SU's Taliyah Clark holds the top field goal percentage (1.000) and is tied with GCU's Kiyley Flowers for the top three-point FG percentage (1.000). Nine players are tied for the lead in free throw percentage at 1.000. SU's Bree Calhoun is the leader in steals (9.5) and GCU's Flowers is tied with teammate Jay McChristine for the lead in steals (4.0). LU's Dean is also the leader in three-pointers per game at 5.0. Four players are tied for the lead in blocked shots at 2.0 per game while NMSU's Taylor Donaldson holds the lead in assist/turnover ratio (6.0). UVU's Josie Williams is the leader in offensive rebounds (8.0) and CBU's Dale is the leader in defensive rebounds (13.0).

 

Following a shortened season, the WAC will return almost all of its stat leaders from the spring. After averaging 16.5 points per game to lead the WAC in scoring in the spring as a part of UT Rio Grande Valley, Amara Graham will return to the court this fall as a Grand Canyon Lope. The WAC's leader in rebounds per game (8.4) and field goal percentage (66.5) will also be back as California Baptist's Britney Thomas suits up for her final season as a Lancer. The Lancer roster will also include the top three-point shooter and top assister from the spring 2021 season. CBU's Sydney Palma shot 44.7 percent from deep to lead the league while Ane Olaeta averaged 7.8 assists per game to finish as the nation's leader in assists.

 

Josie Williams of Utah Valley will be back on the court for the Wolverines after leading the WAC in blocks per game last season. Seattle U's Bree Calhoun will also be disrupting WAC offenses once again as she returns after pacing the conference in steals per game at 3.3.

 

California Baptist has been named the favorite to win the 2021-22 women's basketball title and the Lancers' Ane Olaeta was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league's 13 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.

 

After putting together one of the best seasons in WAC history a season ago, the Lancers earned the top spot with 137 points and six first-place votes in the preseason poll. WAC newcomer Stephen F. Austin was close behind with six first-place votes and a total of 133 points. The Ladyjacks were followed by Grand Canyon who received the remaining first-place vote and 112 points. Utah Valley was slotted in the fourth spot with 106 points while Abilene Christian was selected to finish fifth, garnering 91 points. Sam Houston claimed a total of 86 points as they landed in sixth. NM State came in just behind the Bearkats with 90 points while Lamar was eighth with 63 points. Seattle U captured ninth with 61 points, followed by UT Rio Grande Valley with 54 points. The Tarleton Texans earned 43 points to see themselves picked to finish 11th. Dixie State and Chicago State rounded out the poll, collecting 25 points and 14 points, respectively. 

 

Olaeta is atop the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. The senior guard is joined on the first team by fellow Lancer Britney Thomas, Stephen F. Austin's Stephanie Visscher and Zya Nugent, Utah Valley's Maria Carvalho and Josie Williams, Grand Canyon's Amara Graham and Lamar's Micaela Wilson.

 

Second team honors went to UT Rio Grande Valley's Sara Bershers, Grand Canyon's Tiarra Brown, Seattle U's Bree Calhoun and McKenzi Williams, Sam Houston's Faith Cook, California Baptist's Caitlyn Harper, Stephen F. Austin's Aiyana Johnson and Abilene Christian's Madi Miller.

 

The Western Athletic Conference women's basketball media have selected California Baptist as the preseason favorite to be named the 2021-22 conference champions while the Lancers' Ane Olaeta was named WAC Preseason Player of the Year.

 

The Lancers earned the sweep in the polls as they picked up the top spot in the media poll after being selected first overall in the coaches' poll. CBU was followed by Stephen F. Austin while Utah Valley was picked to finish third in the conference. Grand Canyon was chosen to finish fourth, Sam Houston was fifth and NM State took sixth. The Aggies were followed by Lamar, Abilene Christian, Seattle U, UT Rio Grande Valley, Tarleton, Dixie State and Chicago State.

 

Olaeta leads the group of Preseason All-WAC award getters and is joined by teammate Britney Thomas. Utah Valley's Maria Carvalho and Josie Williams joined the pair of Lancers while Stephen F. Austin also boasted two first-team members in Aiyana Johnson and Stephanie Visscher. Grand Canyon's Amara Graham and Lamar's Micaela Wilson also picked up first-team honors.

 

Second-team selections include Grand Canyon's Tiarra Brown, Seattle U's Bree Calhoun, Sam Houston's Faith Cook, Tarleton's Marissa Escamilla, California Baptist's Caitlyn Harper, NM State's Soufia Inoussa, Abilene Christian's Madi Miller and Stephen F. Austin's Zya Nugent.

 

Coming off a year in which the WAC only returned three all-conference players, the WAC will look very familiar this season, returning eight of 10 All-WAC players. From the list of first-team honorees, Utah Valley's Maria Carvalho and Josie Williams and California Baptist's Ane Olaeta and Britney Thomas will all be back in action. Also, Grand Canyon's Tiarra Brown and Amara Graham, California Baptist's Caitlyn Harper and Seattle U's McKenzi Williams are returning after earning Second Team All-WAC recognition in the spring.

 

WAC fans will also see four of the five members of the WAC All-Defensive Team back this year as Grand Canyon's Taylor Caldwell, Seattle U's Bree Calhoun, Utah Valley's Carvalho and California Baptist's Thomas make their way back. Lastly, four WAC All-Newcomer representatives are coming back for the 2021-22 season as California Baptist's Nicole Avila-Ambrosi, Grand Canyon's Brown, Seattle U's Calhoun and Utah Valley's Shay Fano look to build on their impressive debut seasons.

 

With the addition of four schools coming over from the Southland Conference, the WAC also adds four Southland All-Conference selections from last season. Both Lamar's Micaela Wilson and Stephen F. Austin's Stephanie Visscher were first-team honorees, while the Ladyjacks Aiyana Johnson and Zya Nugent garnered second team distinction.

 

After adding Dixie State and Tarleton a season ago, the WAC has expanded once again by adding four Texas schools. Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin all come over to the WAC after spending time in the Southland Conference. Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston and Lamar each finished inside the top four of the Southland's standings last season. The Ladyjacks also claimed the Southland Conference title as they finished the year with a 24-2 overall record and a near-upset of Georgia Tech in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

 

This offseason, the WAC reached a new multi-year, multi-platform media reight agreement that will see over 500 annual events on ESPN+. Fans will be able to catch most women's basketball games this season on ESPN+, with the WAC Tournament Championship Game airing on an ESPN linear network. Fans will also be able to catch select #WAChoops games at wacdigitalnetwork.com.

 

 

The WAC will have its fair share of opportunities to shine against top competition this season. The league currently has 10 games against teams that advanced to the 2021 NCAA Tournament and 10 games against teams that participated in the 2021 NIT. The complete list is below.

 

Nov. 9 UT Rio Grande Valley at USF, 8 p.m. ET

Nov. 10 Tarleton at Arkansas, 7 p.m. ET

Nov. 14 Dixie State at Oregon, 5 p.m. PT

Nov. 17 California Baptist at Oregon State, 7 p.m. PT

Nov. 18 Stephen F. Austin at Texas A&M, 7 p.m. CT

Nov. 27 Sam Houston at Arkansas, 2 p.m. CT

Dec. 12 Abilene Christian vs. Wright St., 1 p.m. CT

Dec. 12 Stephen F. Austin at Gonzaga, noon PT

Dec. 13 Sam Houston at Alabama, 11:30 a.m. CT

Dec. 21 Utah Valley at Idaho State, 7 p.m. MT

 

Nov. 9 Lamar at New Mexico, 6 p.m. MT

Nov. 11 Utah Valley vs. Fresno State, 7 p.m. MT

Nov. 12 Stephen F. Austin vs. Houston, 6:30 p.m. CT

Nov. 16 Lamar at Ole Miss, 6 p.m. CT

Nov. 26 Stephen F. Austin vs. New Mexico, 6:30 p.m. CT (Katy, Texas)

Nov. 27 Chicago State vs. Delaware, TBA (Miami)

Dec. 3 Dixie State at Colorado, 7 p.m. MT

Dec. 3 NM State at New Mexico, 7 p.m. MT

Dec. 5 NM State vs. New Mexico, 2 p.m. MT

Dec. 16 Sam Houston vs. Rice, 6:30 p.m. CT

 

The conference will head back to #WACVegas for the 2022 tournament in Las Vegas. The tournament will begin March 8 with a pair of games to be held at Michelob Ultra Arena before the remainder of the tournament heads to Orleans Arena on March 9-12. The tournament will include the top 10 eligible teams.