As if this is any surprise.
From The American:
ORLANDO, Fla. – On the heels of its 10th NCAA Championship, UConn is the unanimous favorite in the race for the 2015-16 American Athletic Conference title, which was announced in conjunction with the league’s annual preseason media day.
UConn senior forward Breanna Stewart, the two-time Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award winner, was chosen unanimously as The American’s Preseason Player of the Year and was one of four UConn players chosen to the preseason all-conference teams.
USF, which reached the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2015 and was The American’s regular-season and tournament runner-up, was second in the preseason poll of the league’s 11 head coaches.
UConn finished last season with a 37-game winning streak as the Huskies went 38-1 overall and 14-0 in the American Athletic Conference to complete a sweep of The American’s regular-season and tournament titles on its way to its third consecutive national championship. It was UConn’s eighth straight Final Four appearance and the 10th consecutive 30-win season for Geno Auriemma’s squad, which won by an average of 40.6 points last year.
Four starters return from last year’s team, including Stewart, who averaged 17.6 points per game and shot 53.9 percent from the field in 2014-15 and enters her senior year 40 points shy of 2,000 in her career. Stewart joins guard Moriah Jefferson (12.4 ppg) and forward Morgan Tuck (14.4 ppg) on The American’s Preseason All- Conference First Team, while guard Kia Nurse (10.2 ppg) was a second-team selection.
USF was second in the preseason poll with 91 points as head coach Jose Fernandez welcomes all five starters back from last year’s team, which went 27-8 overall and was 15-3 in The American. The Bulls, who have played in the postseason 11 times in the last 12 years, will be led by guard Courtney Williams, who averaged 20.3 points per game to lead The American in scoring last season. Williams joins forward Alisia Jenkins (12.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg) – the only player in The American to average a double-double in 2014-15 – on the Preseason All-Conference First Team.
Temple was slotted for third in the preseason poll with 76 points as the Owls edged East Carolina by one point in the voting. The Owls and head coach Tonya Cardoza bring back four starters from a 20-win team, which advanced to the semifinal round of the WNIT. Temple went 12-6 in The American last year behind five players who averaged double figures in scoring, including guard Alliya Butts, who led the team with 12.3 points per game.
East Carolina was fourth in the preseason poll with 75 points. Coach Heather Macy led the Pirates to their third straight 20- win season last year as East Carolina went 22-11 overall, 11-7 in The American, and reached the second round of the WNIT. Three of the top four scorers from last year return, including guard/forward Jada Payne, who was chosen to the All-Conference First Team in 2014-15. Payne averaged 17.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season.
Tulane was fifth in the preseason poll with 60 points. The Green Wave was an at-large selection to the NCAA Championship last season as coach Lisa Stockton’s squad finished the year at 22-11 overall and 11-7 in The American. Tulane ranked second in The American in scoring defense last season and has two starters returning from last year. Guard Kolby Morgan led the team in scoring as a freshman at 12.2 ppg.
Tulsa had 56 points to rank sixth in the preseason poll. Head coach Matilda Mossman led the Golden Hurricane to an 18-14 campaign in 2014-15 as Tulsa registered its first winning season since 2006. Hope are high for a return to postseason play as Tulsa has three starters back from last year’s team, which reached the second round of the WNIT. Guard Ashley Clark, who was chosen to the Preseason All-Conference Team, averaged 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Golden Hurricane last year.
Memphis was slotted seventh by the league coaches with 50 points. Head coach Melissa McFerrin will have one of the most experienced teams in The American at her disposal as the Tigers return all five starters and 96.8 percent of their scoring from last season. Guard Ariel Hearn leads the way after she averaged 16.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 2014-15.
SMU was eighth in the preseason poll. Head coach Rhonda Rompola had an uncharacteristically young squad last year. With four starters returning, however, the Mustangs have proven players across the board. SMU, which has played in the postseason four times in the last seven years, will be led by forward Alicia Froling, who averaged 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game as a freshman last season.
UCF was ninth in the preseason ranking. Coach Joi Williams welcomes back the potent backcourt tandem of Zykira Lewis and Aliyah Gregory, who combined for 912 points and accounted for nearly half of the Knights’ offensive output last season. Lewis finished as The American’s second-leading scorer at 18.9 points per game.
Cincinnati was 10th in the preseason poll. Head coach Jamelle Elliott has her top two scorers from last year back for 2015-16 as guard Ana Owens averaged 11.7 points per game and guard Jasmine Whitfield finished at 9.9 ppg.
Houston was 11th in the preseason poll. Coach Ronald Hughey begins his second year on the Cougar bench and has the benefit of five returning starters from last season. Guard Jessieka Palmer averaged 9.6 points per game last year to lead the returning players.
The 2015-16 season begins Nov. 13, while conference play begins with four league games Dec. 30. The American saw six of its 11 teams play in the postseason last season as UConn, USF and Tulane played in the NCAA tournament, while East Carolina, Temple and Tulsa were chosen for the WNIT.
The 2016 American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship will take place March 4-7 at Mohegan Sun Areana in Uncasville, Connecticut.
2015-16 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
Rank Team (First-Place Votes) Pts.
- UConn (10) * 100
- USF (1) 91
- Temple 76
- East Carolina 75
- Tulane 60
- Tulsa 56
- Memphis 50
- SMU 29
- UCF 28
- Cincinnati 22
- Houston 18
2015-16 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON INDIVIDUAL HONORS
Preseason Player of the Year
Breanna Stewart, F, Sr., UConn *
Preseason All-Conference Teams
First Team
Moriah Jefferson, G, Sr., UConn *
Breanna Stewart, F, Sr., UConn *
Morgan Tuck, F, Jr., UConn
Alisia Jenkins, F, Sr., USF
Courtney Williams, G, Sr., USF *
Second Team
Kia Nurse, G, So., UConn
Jada Payne, G/F, Sr., East Carolina
I’Tiana Taylor, F, Sr., East Carolina
Ariel Hearn, G, Sr., Memphis
Ashley Clark, G, Sr., Tulsa
*unanimous selection
