BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Three Texas A&M women's basketball players were named Preseason All-SEC by the league's coaches on Tuesday in their annual preseason poll. The Aggies were voted to finish third in the SEC in the same poll.
Seniors Courtney Walker and Courtney Williams were named Preseason First Team All-SEC, while senior point guard Jordan Jones was named Preseason Second Team All-SEC. It is the second consecutive year that all three of those players have been named to the Preseason All-SEC teams.
The Aggies were selected to finish third with 138 votes, only behind South Carolina (168) and Tennessee (158). Mississippi State (134), Kentucky (125), Missouri (94), and Ole Miss (81) round out the top half the league. Arkansas (77), Georgia (75), LSU (64), Vanderbilt (61), Florida (54), Auburn (29), and Alabama (16) frame the bottom half.
For the first time in school history, the Aggie women's program returns two All-Americans, with two-time selection Walker and Jones slated to come back for Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach Gary Blair, as the team looks for its 11th straight NCAA Tournament Appearance.
The Aggies return four starters in 2015-16—three of whom earned All-SEC honors a year ago. Jones, Walker and Williams, who competed for the United States national team in the Pan American Games this summer, look to earn All-SEC honors again as seniors, while Khaalia Hillsman looks to build on the momentum of a strong freshman campaign that saw her start the season's last 10 games.
Texas A&M's women's team brings back three-quarters of their scoring from 2014-15, and look to add contributions from highly-regarded newcomers Anriel Howard and Danni Williams, as well as Michigan State transfer Jasmine Lumpkin.
Points for order of finish were compiled on a 13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each coach also voted for an eight-player All-SEC first team, an eight-player All-SEC second team and the Player of the Year. Coaches cannot vote for their own team or players and ties are not broken.
The Aggies tip off the 2015-16 season at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 13 against Texas State inside Reed Arena.
Preseason Coaches' Predictions
Order of Finish
1. South Carolina - 168
2. Tennessee - 158
3. Texas A&M - 138
4. Mississippi State - 134
5. Kentucky - 125
6. Missouri - 94
7. Ole Miss - 81
8. Arkansas - 77
9. Georgia - 75
10. LSU - 64
11. Vanderbilt - 61
12. Florida - 54
13. Auburn - 29
14. Alabama - 16
Player of the Year
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
First Team All-SEC
Makayla Epps, Kentucky
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
A'ja Wilson, South Carolina
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Diamond DeShields, Tennessee
Bashaara Graves, Tennessee
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M
Courtney Williams, Texas A&M
Second Team All-SEC
Jessica Jackson, Arkansas
Ronni Williams, Florida
Shacobia Barbee, Georgia
Raigyne Moncrief, LSU
Jordan Frericks, Missouri
Mercedes Russell, Tennessee
Jordan Jones, Texas A&M
Rebekah Dahlman, Vanderbilt
Seniors Courtney Walker and Courtney Williams were named Preseason First Team All-SEC, while senior point guard Jordan Jones was named Preseason Second Team All-SEC. It is the second consecutive year that all three of those players have been named to the Preseason All-SEC teams.
The Aggies were selected to finish third with 138 votes, only behind South Carolina (168) and Tennessee (158). Mississippi State (134), Kentucky (125), Missouri (94), and Ole Miss (81) round out the top half the league. Arkansas (77), Georgia (75), LSU (64), Vanderbilt (61), Florida (54), Auburn (29), and Alabama (16) frame the bottom half.
For the first time in school history, the Aggie women's program returns two All-Americans, with two-time selection Walker and Jones slated to come back for Women's Basketball Hall of Fame coach Gary Blair, as the team looks for its 11th straight NCAA Tournament Appearance.
The Aggies return four starters in 2015-16—three of whom earned All-SEC honors a year ago. Jones, Walker and Williams, who competed for the United States national team in the Pan American Games this summer, look to earn All-SEC honors again as seniors, while Khaalia Hillsman looks to build on the momentum of a strong freshman campaign that saw her start the season's last 10 games.
Texas A&M's women's team brings back three-quarters of their scoring from 2014-15, and look to add contributions from highly-regarded newcomers Anriel Howard and Danni Williams, as well as Michigan State transfer Jasmine Lumpkin.
Points for order of finish were compiled on a 13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each coach also voted for an eight-player All-SEC first team, an eight-player All-SEC second team and the Player of the Year. Coaches cannot vote for their own team or players and ties are not broken.
The Aggies tip off the 2015-16 season at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 13 against Texas State inside Reed Arena.
Preseason Coaches' Predictions
Order of Finish
1. South Carolina - 168
2. Tennessee - 158
3. Texas A&M - 138
4. Mississippi State - 134
5. Kentucky - 125
6. Missouri - 94
7. Ole Miss - 81
8. Arkansas - 77
9. Georgia - 75
10. LSU - 64
11. Vanderbilt - 61
12. Florida - 54
13. Auburn - 29
14. Alabama - 16
Player of the Year
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
First Team All-SEC
Makayla Epps, Kentucky
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
A'ja Wilson, South Carolina
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Diamond DeShields, Tennessee
Bashaara Graves, Tennessee
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M
Courtney Williams, Texas A&M
Second Team All-SEC
Jessica Jackson, Arkansas
Ronni Williams, Florida
Shacobia Barbee, Georgia
Raigyne Moncrief, LSU
Jordan Frericks, Missouri
Mercedes Russell, Tennessee
Jordan Jones, Texas A&M
Rebekah Dahlman, Vanderbilt