United Athletic Conference

The week tips off on Tuesday with Sam Houston losting Longwood. On Wednesday, Dixie State heads from one end of the state to the other, traveling to Utah State in Logan. Also going on in Utah will be UNLV visiting Utah Valley. Chicago State returns home to host Indiana State while UTRGV will be at Kansas and Grand Canyon hosts Park (Ariz.). On Thrusday, CBU hosts Pepperdine and Seattle U travels to Boise State. Friday will see Dixie State traveling to Pac-12 Colorado while NM State heads north to take on rival UNM with the Lobos making the return trip to Las Cruces on Sunday. Saturday has six games, highlighted by Grand Canyon going on the road to take on Cal State Fullerton.

 

Utah Valley's Josie Williams has been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week and Chicago State's Aaliyah Collins was named TicketSmarter WAC Women's Basketball Freshman of the Week for November 8-14.

 

Williams, a junior center from West Haven, Utah, had a pair of monster games to help the Wolverines go 2-0 on the week. On Tuesday against Colorado Mesa, she finished with 17 points and added 13 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a 62-50 win. She found a way to step her game up even more on Saturday, scoring 17 points and bringing down a career-high 19 rebounds while also adding four blocks and three assists in a 62-43 win over Portland State. She currently leads the nation with 14.0 rebounds per game.

 

Collins, a freshman guard from Snohomish, Wash., is honored for the second time after leading the Cougars to a 71-63 win at Wisconsin to break a two-year losing streak. Against the Badgers, she scored 25 points and added six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in the upset win. She finished the week averaging 21.3 points per game to go with 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game adding in games against Florida International and Delaware.

 

Other nominees included: Abilene Christian's Jamie Bonnarens had back-to-back 16-point games at Kansas City and against Little Rock and then added 13 points in a win against Arkansas State … California Baptist's Ane Olaeta put up a team high 25 points with 10 assists in the Lancers' 91-77 win over TCU on Saturday … Chicago State's Aaliyah Collins averaged 21.3 points per game to go with 6.3 rebounds per game as the Cougars picked up a big win at Wisconsin before falling at FIU and against Delaware … Dixie State's Emily Isaacson scored 22 points and brought down seven rebounds in a home loss to Kansas City … Grand Canyon's Amara Graham put up 13 points in back-to-back games to help the Lopes earn home wins over Nicholls State and Houston Baptist … NM State's Bigue Sarr was the Aggies' leading scorer at the San Juan Shootout, averaging 11.0 ppg on 60.0% shooting in a loss to LSU and a win against Tennessee Tech … Seattle U's Bree Calhoun was named to the South Point Shootout All-Tournament Team after averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals per game in a win over SMU and a close loss to UTEP … Stephen F. Austin's Aiyana Johnson helped the 'Jacks to a 3-0 week, averaging 16.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in wins over New Mexico, Ball State and ULM … Tarleton's Malaya Kendrick scored averaged 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as the Texans earned a road win at College of Charleston before dropping a home matchup with Western Illinois … UT Rio Grande Valley's Sara Bershers led the team with 23 points in a home loss to future WAC foe Southern Utah.

 

Other freshman nominees included: Dixie State's Maddie Warren scored seven points for the 'Blazers in a 76-62 home loss to Kansas City … Grand Canyon's Kiyley Flowers posted 17 points with five steals and three assists in a 103-55 win over Nicholls State on Friday.

 

Heading into the first week of December, Stephen F. Austin leads the league in scoring (85.4). The Lumberjacks are the only WAC team to record 200-plus field goals made (244). They have also connected on more than 100 shots from the charity stripe (134). Grand Canyon is second in the league in scoring (77.4 ppg) with California Baptist's 77.2 points per game ranking them third. Defensively, Utah Valley is limiting their opponents to a conference best 55.8 points per game. They are not alone in limiting the opposition to under 60 points each time they step on the floor. New Mexico State is second in the league in scoring defense (58.0 ppg) with Stephen F. Austin and Tarleton restricting their foes to 59.3 and 59.7 points per game respectively. 

 

Individually, CBU's Caitlyn Harper is scoring 21 points per game. She is the only WAC player to average more than 20 points per game. UVU's Josie Williams is corralling 14.0 rebounds each time she suits up. Ane Olaeta is directing CBU's offense and is averaging a WAC best 9.4 assists per game. 

On the other end of the floor, Tarleton State's Seynabou Thiam is rejecting a league high 2.2 shots per game with Aaliyah Collins from Chicago State swiping 3.9 steals a contest.

 

Playing just their fifth game as a member of the WAC, Stephen F. Austin rewrote the record book with their 137-46 win over Arlington Baptist on Nov. 20. The 91-point win set a new league-best for scoring margin and the 137 points scored is also a new WAC record, as is the 56 field goals made by the Ladyjacks. 

 

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 new faces on the court this season, but 12 of 13 schools do return a majority of starters while both California Baptist and Seattle U return all five starters. Seattle U also leads the way with 13 returners with only four programs returning less than half of their letterwinners

 

 

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.

 

Games vs. 2021 NCAA Tournament Teams

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

 

Games vs. 2021 NIT Teams

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.