UNLV WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PICKED SIXTH IN MOUNTAIN WEST PRESEASON POLL
Lady Rebels bring back three starters from last season
Lady Rebels bring back three starters from last season
The UNLV women’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the 2013-14 Mountain West preseason poll, which was released by the league office on Tuesday morning. Voting on the preseason poll, as well as the preseason all-conference team, were all 11 head coaches as well as select media members.
Colorado State, regular season champions a year ago, are this year’s preseason favorites with 276 points and 21 first place votes. Next was Boise State in second with four first place votes and 241 total points, and close behind was Wyoming in third with 235 points and the remaining three first place votes. Fresno State, the 2014 MW Tournament champions, was picked fourth with 181 points, Nevada, Reno fifth with 155, and UNLV received 143 points for sixth place.
Rounding out the poll was San Diego State in seventh (134), Utah State eighth (123), just one point ahead of ninth-place New Mexico (122), San Jose State in 10th (81) and Air Force was in 11th place with 27 points.
The Lady Rebels tied for sixth last year with a 9-9 mark and were 13-19 overall. UNLV lost a pair of starters to graduation, including point guard Mia Bell who is now in her first year as an assistant coach on the Lady Rebel staff. The good news is that three starters do return for the 2014-15 campaign, including senior forward Alana Cesarz, an honorable mention All-MW selection last season, and wing Danielle Miller. The third starter is junior center Aley Rohde, in her second year as a Lady Rebel after spending her freshman season at Arizona. They will be joined by five more returnees and a five-member freshman class.
“The year we went to the postseason we were picked sixth,” said UNLV head coach Kathy Olivier. “So we feel sixth is a good spot for us, but it’s just a preseason prediction. In a conference this competitive anyone can win or they can finish in ninth or 10th.”
Wyoming senior forward Kayla Woodward was named the 2014-15 MW Preseason Player of the Year. She was joined on the preseason All-MW team by Colorado State sophomore guard Ellen Nystrom, Boise State senior guard Deanna Weaver, Fresno State senior Alex Sheedy and San Jose State senior guard Ta’Rea Cunnigan. San Diego State guard McKynzie Fort was selected as the Preseason Freshman of the Year, while Preseason Newcomer of the Year honors when to senior center Camille Redmon from Boise State, a transfer from Purdue.
Some of the highlights of the 2014-15 home slate including two double-headers with the Runnin’ Rebels in the Thomas & Mack Center. First up will be the season opener, against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Nov. 14. The second game will come against Big 10 member Northwestern on Dec. 17. The annual Thanksgiving weekend tournament, the Lady Rebel Round-Up, will feature a field this year of South Dakota State, Northern Illinois and Delaware State, with games on Nov. 29 and 30. UNLV opens the Mountain West season at home on New Year’s Eve with a 2 pm contest against Wyoming.
UNLV season tickets are only $75 for 15 home games. For information on purchasing season tickets call 702-739-FANS or visit UNLVtickets.com. Youth 12 and under are free to all Lady Rebel games.
2014-15 MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
Rk. Team (1st-place votes) Points
1. Colorado State (21) 276
2. Boise State (4) 241
3. Wyoming (3) 235
4. Fresno State 181
5. Nevada, Reno 155
6. UNLV 143
7. San Diego State 134
8. Utah State 123
9. New Mexico 122
10. San Jose State 81
11. Air Force 27
Summary
Article Name
UNLV WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NEWS: Lady Rebels Picked Sixth In MW Preseason Poll
Description
The UNLV women's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the 2013-14 Mountain West preseason poll, which was released by the league office on Tuesday morning.
Author
Judy Reppart