United Athletic Conference

Complete Release (PDF)

 

A very busy week awaits the women’s basketball teams in the WAC. In the last full week of games before Christmas there are 25 games on the docket with every team playing at least one game. Of those 25 contests, 15 of them are being hosted by conference schools. Highlighting the week is a heavy Saturday schedule with eight teams playing. The week begins today with four teams (CBU, DSU, SFA, UTRGV) playing afternoon contests. UT Rio Grande Valley is hosting the four-team South Padre Island Classic on Friday and Saturday. Competing in the event will be fellow WAC member Grand Canyon as well as UTSA and Liberty. 

 

UT Rio Grande Valley’s Sara Bershers has been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week with Lamar’s Akasa Davis earning TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week honors for December 6-12.

 

Bershers was instrumental in the Vaqueros two wins last week against Houston Baptist and Incarnate Word. She averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while playing all but eight minutes in those games. In last Monday’s win against the Huskies she scored 23 points while corralling eight rebounds with a career-high tying four assists. Five days later she registered a 27-point outburst as she added seven rebounds and three steals to her stat line against the Cardinals.

 

Davis started in the Cardinals two wins against McNeese State and Texas State. Her 25-point effort in just 29 minutes on Tuesday against the Cowgirls highlighted the week. The forward scored in double figures again three days later as she tallied 10 points in the four-point victory against the Bobcats. In addition to her scoring totals, she averaged 5.5 rebounds while playing 25 minutes each game.

 

Other nominees included: Bree Calhoun led Seattle’s upset attempt of crosstown rival Washington by scoring 14 points with five rebounds and four steals against Washington … Caitlyn Harper was a significant contributor to California Baptist’s games against San Diego State and a win at Northern Arizona by averaging 19.5 points and 8.0 rebounds … Lamar’s Anyssia Gibbs recorded 31 total points as the Cardinals beat McNeese State and Texas State; nearly recording a double-double against McNeese State (16 points, nine rebounds) … Malaya Kendrick recorded seven points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals in Tarleton’s game at Weber State … Josie Williams was stellar again as Utah Valley split games at Montana and Montana State by averaging 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds … In Stephen F. Austin’s five-point setback at Gonzaga, Stephanie Visscher scored 18 points with seven rebounds … Breaunna Gillen tallied 24 points on 11-for-15 shooting as Dixie State knocked off Simpson

 

Other freshman nominees included: CBU’s Trinity San Antonio played 20 minutes in as the Lancers split games against San Diego State and Northern Arizona highlighted by a 10-point effort against Lumberjacks … Maddie Warren scored 15 points and had five points in Dixie State’s 40-point win against Simpson

 

Stephen F. Austin’s offense has been on-point all season, as the Ladyjacks have led the league in scoring (82.7 points per game) since the beginning. Abilene Christian has been effective, especially of late, as the Wildcats are now averaging 81 points per game. Both California Baptist and Grand Canyon are tied for third in the conference in scoring (76.9 ppg). Defensively Tarleton has been a stalwart as they are allowing just 55.5 points per game with Stephen F. Austin’s 56.9 points per game allowed just behind their Lone Star State counterparts.

 

From an individual standpoint, Caitlyn Harper has been the go-to scorer for California Baptist. The forward is registering 20.1 points each time she suits up. Josie Williams continues to grab rebounds at an impressive clip as the Utah Valley stand out is averaging 12.2 rebounds per contest. Ane Olaeta has directed the Lancers offense with a 9.4 assists per game output. Defensively, Chicago State freshman Aaliyah Collins leads the league in steals (3.4 spg) with Tarleton State’s Seynabou Thiam 2.3 blocks per game topping the WAC.

 

Last week California Baptist standout Georgia Dale entered the 1,000-point club. Her career milestone came early in the Lancers home game against San Diego State. The WAC currently has six active players with 1,000-plus career points and is looking to add its seventh member shortly. Sam Houston’s Faith Cook is just 12 points shy of 1,000 career points. 

 

Both Stephen F. Austin and Grand Canyon have been among the top defensive teams in the nation. The Ladyjacks are second in the nation in total steals (138) with Grand Canyon’s 16.6 steals per contest leading the country. Not surprisingly, Stephen F. Austin leads all of NCAA Division I with 27 forced turnovers per game while Grand Canyon is second in that category (26.50). 

 

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.

 

A TEXAS-SIZED ADDITION
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 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.