This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Jan. 4
This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Jan. 4
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WAC ANNOUNCES CHANGE TO BASKETBALL GAME CANCELATION POLICIES
Following a vote of athletic directors, the Western Athletic Conference has adjusted its game cancelation policy to balance the health and safety of coaches, student-athletes, staff and officials as well as protect the integrity of the conference schedule.
The minimum number of participants for conference play has been set at seven Covid-eligible student-athletes and one Covid-eligible coach. If a team meets the requirement, they will be expected to compete in the contest.
In addition, the WAC has determined that if a game is canceled for Covid-related reasons, administrators from the impacted institutions will work collaboratively to find a mutually agreeable date to reschedule. If they are unable to find a date, the game will be considered a no-contest.
“Ultimately, we wanted to maintain some flexibility as the Covid landscape continues to change,” said WAC commissioner Brian Thornton. “Our biggest goals are to protect the health and safety of our student-athletes and coaches as well as put our programs in the best position to compete in our conference tournament.”
The conference will continue to work with institutional leadership regarding any changes to seeding procedures for the 2022 Hercules Tires WAC Basketball Tournament.
RESCHEDULED GAMES
The WAC has been far from immune from the far reaches of the newest coronavirus strain. Heading into the scheduled second full week of conference games, the league has rescheduled seven games.
THIS WEEK
Despite a number of games being postponed, the WAC still has nine games slated to be played on Thursday and Saturday. California Baptist, Lamar, Sam Houston, Seattle U and N.M. State are scheduled to play their first WAC games of the season.
TICKETSMARTER WAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
After starting conference play with a pair of victories, Abilene Christian swept the league’s weekly honors. Jamie Bonnarens was named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week with teammate Bella Earle earning TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week.
Bonnarens was stellar in helping Abilene Christian to home wins against Utah Valley and Dixie State with a pair of double-doubles. She started with a 16-point, 10-rebound effort against the WAC’s reigning NCAA Tournament representative on Dec. 30. Two days later, Bonnarens scored 20 points and corralled 11 rebounds in the Wildcats 18-points victory against Dixie State. She also notched a pair of steals and an assist in each game.
Earle came off the bench in both Wildcat wins. While averaging 19 minutes of playing time in the two victories, she scored 13 total points, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out three assists. During the final game of 2021, the guard had a six-point, two-assist performance against Utah Valley. In Abilene Christian’s New Year’s Day win against Dixie State, she scored seven points and registered six rebounds.
Other nominees included: Bigue Sarr scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 18 minutes in New Mexico State’s non-conference win against SAGU American Indian College … Stephanie Visscher registered 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists as Stephen F. Austin nabbed a 65-50 win at UT Rio Grande Valley … Tarleton’s Iyana Dorsey averaged 15 points per game as the Texans split home games against Dixie State and Utah Valley … Taylor Muff played all 40 minutes while tallying an 11-point, eight-point game for UT Rio Grande Valley against Stephen F. Austin … Amara Graham went for 25 points on the strength of a career high six made three-pointers in Grand Canyon’s conference opening win against Chicago State … Emily Isaacson posted scoring efforts of 25 and 10 points for Dixie State against Tarleton and Abilene Christian respectively … Aaliyah Collins scored 19 points in 18 minutes as Chicago State fell to Grand Canyon
Other freshman nominees included: Sylena Peterson came off the bench to score a career best 19 points in 17 minutes as New Mexico State beat SAGU American Indian College … Angel Scott scored six points and grabbed three steals in Stephen F. Austin’s 15-point win at UT Rio Grande Valley … Macie Warren averaged 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds as Dixie State opened WAC action with a split against Tarleton and Abilene Christian … Kiyley Flowers helped Grand Canyon to a 17-point win against Chicago State with four points in 14 minutes off the bench … Kacee Kyle scored 10 points and handed out three assists for UT Rio Grande Valley against Stephen F. Austin … Aaliyah Collins missed just two shots during an 19-point effort against Grand Canyon
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Stephen F. Austin’s 78.5 points per game mark is the best among league competitors, as is their 44.7 field goal percentage and 375 total field goals and 181 free throws made. Abilene Christian continues to stay right behind the WAC’s best offensive team as the Wildcats are scoring at a 77.3 points per game clip on the strength of a conference high 145 made three-pointers.
On the defensive end of the court, Stephen F. Austin leads the way as well. They are limiting their opponents to just a 34.9 shooting percentage and 55.9 points per game. Abilene Christian is limiting the opposition to just 60 points each time they play while California Baptist is holding their opponents to just a 36.2 shooting percentage.
Individually, Caitlyn Harper is scoring a conference best 18.5 points per game for California Baptist. Teammate Britney Thomas is shooting a league high 60.9 percent from the field. Josie Williams is averaging a double-double as she is fourth in the WAC in scoring (16.2 ppg) while grabbing a league best 11.7 rebounds each time she steps on the court. CBU’s Ane Olaeta continues to be a great distrobutor of the ball, as her 8.1 assists per game average leads the league by nearly three assists per game.
TURNING THE OPPONENT OVER
Both Stephen F. Austin and Grand Canyon have been among the top defensive teams in the nation. Each team is ranked in the national top 10 in total steals, steals per game, turnovers margin and turnovers forced per game (see page 6 of notes pack).
1,000 POINT PLATEAU
Sam Houston’s Faith Cook recently broke into the 1,000 career point club in a big way. Needing only four points in the Bearkats game against Arlington Baptist, she scored 24 to become the seventh active member of the 1,000-point club among WAC players. She is the second person this month to achieve the milestone as CBU’s Georgia Dale entered the rarified scoring category just three weeks ago. Aiyana Johnson is currently sitting at 999 career points for Stephen F. Austin.
400 HEAD COACHING WINS
Heading into the season, Abilene Christian’s Julie Goodenough already reached the 400-win plateau. In her 26th year as a head coach, she leads the league in most seasons as a head as well as career wins (467). During the first weekend of WAC games, Stephen F. Austin’s Mark Kellogg joined her with 400 career wins. Suzy Barcomb is just three wins shy of her 400th career head coaching win.
STAT LEADERS BACK FOR 2021-22
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.
PRESEASON COACHES POLL
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.
PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
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.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
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.
WAC TOURNAMENT MAKES 11TH TRIP TO VEGAS
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.