2014-15 Big West Women's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
After sweeping last season's regular season and Tournament titles, CSUN is the media favorite to take home the crown in the 2014-15 season.
The Matadors gained 13 first place votes and 125 points overall for the first place nod. Hawai'i checked in behind the defending champions with 101 points and the remaining first place vote. Back-to-back Tournament finalist Cal Poly was third with 99 points, while UC Davis wrapped up the top half of the poll with 83 points for fourth place.
CSUN returns the bulk of its lineup as it looks to repeat as Big West champions, featuring all five starters and nine letterwinners from its 2013-14 club. Leading the way is reigning Big West Player of the Year, Tournament MVP and first team All-Big West selection Ashlee Guay. The senior averaged 16.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per outing while shooting 44.6% from the field, 42.6% from the three-point line and 80.8% from the foul line. Among the bevy of returnees is also talented senior center Camille Mahlknecht, last season's Defensive Player of the Year. Mahlknecht averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. Her 105 total blocks were a single-season program record and tied for 10th on the Big West single season list.
The Rainbow Wahine, who were also second in last season's preseason poll, has finished in third place following the regular season in each of the last two seasons. Leading the charge is sixth-year senior Shawna-Lei Kuehu, a second team All-Big West pick a year ago. The guard/forward averaged 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, while appearing in all 31 contests for UH. Destiny King looks to build on a breakout sophomore campaign after averaging 8.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists. King was a key contributor during conference play, upping her stats to 9.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 30.1 minutes.
The Mustangs look to continue their recent run of success with a mix of youth and experience on the roster. Headlining the returnees is first team All-Big West selection senior Ariana Elegado. The diminutive scoring guard averaged 17.0 points and nailed 86 three-pointers a year ago, while also adding 4.5 assists and starting all 32 games. Fellow senior Taryn Garza also returns to the fold, an all-around force who claimed the Big West Best Hustle award a year ago. Garza averaged 6.1 points and 6.8 rebounds and nearly a block per game (0.8) in just 20.2 minutes of action.
The Aggies feature an experienced lineup that rivals any in the league with five returning starters and 10 letterwinners. Leading the way is two-time first team All-Big West selection Sydnee Fipps. The senior averaged 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, hit 54 threes and shot 81.0% from the foul line. Fellow senior Kelsey Harris was an impact player in her first season in a UCD uniform, averaging 10.7 points and nailing 86 three-pointers. The three-point shot is a major weapon for UC Davis as the club ranked first in the Big West in makes per game (7.5), attempts (23.5) and was fourth in percentage (32.1).
Rounding out the poll was Long Beach State in fifth place with 73 points, while Cal State Fullerton, which hosting the first two rounds of the Big West Tournament this season, was sixth with 53 points. UC Irvine checks in at seventh place in the media poll with 41 points with UC Riverside (29) and UC Santa Barbara (26) completing the poll in eighth and ninth, respectively.
The media panel also selected a six-player preseason all-conference team comprised of five seniors and one junior. Elegado, Guay, Fipps and Kuehu lead the senior contingent, joined by CSUN's Janae Sharpe. The lone non-senior of the group is last season's scoring champion, UC Riverside's Brittany Crain.
| 1. |
CSUN (13) |
125 |
| 2. |
Hawai'i (1) |
101 |
| 3. |
Cal Poly |
99 |
| 4. |
UC Davis |
83 |
| 5. |
Long Beach State |
73 |
| 6. |
Cal State Fullerton |
53 |
| 7. |
UC Irvine |
41 |
| 8. |
UC Riverside |
29 |
| 9. |
UC Santa Barbara |
26 |
( ) First Place votes
| MEDIA PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
| Ariana Elegado |
Cal Poly |
G |
Senior |
San Diego, CA |
| Ashlee Guay |
CSUN |
G |
Senior |
San Diego, CA |
| Janae Sharpe |
CSUN |
G |
Senior |
Rialto, CA |
| Sydnee Fipps |
UC Davis |
F |
Senior |
Mariposa, CA |
| Brittany Crain |
UC Riverside |
G |
Junior |
Moreno Valley, CA |
| Shawna-Lei Kuehu |
Hawai'i |
G/F |
Senior |
'Aiea, O'ahu |