October 13, 2005
Texas A&M's women's basketball team is picked No. 7 in the 2005-06 preseason poll voted on by the Big 12 Conference head coaches which was announced Thursday.
The No. 7 selection is the best preseason position for the Aggies in the Big 12 era. The league's coaches have never tabbed the Aggies above No. 10
A&M coach Gary Blair enters his third season at the helm and returns four of his five starters from last year's team that reached the quarterfinals of the WNIT. It marked the first postseason appearance and first winning season for A&M since 1996.
Blair lost two players, Charlette Castile and Mindy Garrison, from last year's team. He added six players that as a class were ranked No. 20 in the nation. It was the third best recruiting class in the conference.
A&M is paced by last year's consensus Big 12 Freshman of the Year Morenike Atunrase who led the team in scoring while setting a new school record for blocked shots in a season. Other returning starters are sophomore point guard A'Quonesia Franklin, senior guard Erica Roy, and senior forward Tamea Scales.
The Preseason All-Big 12 Team will be announced on Tuesday.
The Aggies will take part in Maroon Madness at Kyle Field on Friday at approximately 11:25 p.m. A sports court and portable baskets are being brought to the Kyle Field sideline for what is expected to be the largest attended preseason practice session in the country. The A&M men will follow the school's traditional Midnight Yell Practice.
The 2005-06 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Poll is: Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas A&M, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, and Colorado.
Texas A&M Women's Basketball in the Preseason Big 12 Coaches Poll:
1997-98-10
1998-99-11
1999-00-12
2000-01-12
2001-02-12
2002-03-10
2003-04-12
2004-05-10
2005-06-7