Seattle University women’s basketball, the reigning Western Athletic Conference regular season champions, swept the major preseason conference awards, as announced by the league.
In both the media and coaches polls, Seattle U was chosen as the preseason favorite to win the conference title, receiving six first place votes in the coaches poll and 11 in the media poll. Reigning WAC Player of the Year, Kacie Sowell (Ventura, Calif.), was also chosen as the 2013-14 Preseason Player of the Year.
Alongside Sowell, fellow senior Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.), the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Year, was named Preseason First Team All-WAC in both polls. In the coaches poll, Ashley Ward (Irvine, Calif.), rounding out the senior trio, was also named Preseason Second Team All-WAC.
College Sports Madness also named Sowell Preseason Player of the Year and named head coach Joan Bonvicini, reigning WAC Coach of the Year, as Preseason Coach of the Year. CSM named Kaylee Best (Seattle, Wash.) as WAC Freshman of the Year, mirroring the honors given by the conference in naming Sowell and Shephard to the First Team. CSM also named Sowell to the All-High Major Third Team.
The WAC coaches and media polls were nearly identical, with Idaho finishing second, New Mexico State rounding out the top three, Bakersfield finishing fifth, and UTPA, Grand Canyon, and Chicago State rounding out the bottom three. In the media poll, Utah Valley was picked fourth and Kansas City was picked sixth, while the two teams were flipped in the coaches poll.
With one exhibition game vs. Central Washington on Nov. 2, the Redhawks are set to begin defending their regular season title as they host Pepperdine on Nov. 8 in their regular season opener. As part of the opener, a special WAC Regular Season Champions banner will be raised in the Connolly Center above the Redhawks’ home court.
2013-14 Preseason Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll
1. Seattle U (6) – 62 points
2. Idaho (3) – 59 points
3. New Mexico State – 47 points
4. Kansas City – 36 points
5. Bakersfield – 32 points
6. Utah Valley – 30 points
7. Texas-Pan American – 25 points
8. Grand Canyon – 23 points
9. Chicago State – 10 points
2013-14 Preseason Women’s Basketball Coaches All-WAC Teams
First Team
Stacey Barr (Idaho)
Alyssa Charlston (Idaho)
Eilise O’Connor (Kansas City)
Sylvia Shephard (Seattle U)
Kacie Sowell (Seattle U)
Second Team
Janae Coffee (Bakersfield)
Judy Jones (Grand Canyon)
Kim Nezianya (Kansas City)
Ashley Ward (Seattle U)
Sasha Weber (New Mexico State)
Preseason Player of the Year: Kacie Sowell (Seattle U)
2013-14 Preseason Women’s Basketball Media Poll
1. Seattle U (11) – 115 points
2. Idaho (1) – 100 points
3. New Mexico State – 80 points
4. Utah Valley – 75 points
5. Bakersfield – 66 points
6. Kansas City – 53 points
7. Texas-Pan American – 40 points
8. Grand Canyon (1) – 38 points
9. Chicago State – 18 points
2013-14 Preseason Women’s Basketball Media All-WAC Teams
First Team
Alyssa Charlston (Idaho)
Judy Jones (Grand Canyon)
Eilise O’Connor (Kansas City)
Sylvia Shephard (Seattle U)
Kacie Sowell (Seattle U)
Second Team
Janae Coffee (Bakersfield)
Tina Doughty (Utah Valley)
Sasha Weber (New Mexico State)
Stacey Barr (Idaho)
Tyonna Outland (Bakersfield)
Preseason Player of the Year: Kacie Sowell (Seattle U)
College Sports Madness Preseason All-WAC Teams
Coach of the Year: Joan Bonvicini (Seattle U)
Player of the Year: Kacie Sowell (Seattle U)
Freshman of the Year: Kaylee Best (Seattle U)
First Team
Eilise O’Connor (Kansas City)
Sylvia Shephard (Seattle U)
Judy Jones (Grand Canyon)
Kacie Sowell (Seattle U)
Alyssa Charlston (Idaho)
Second Team
Tyonna Outland (Bakersfield)
Tina Doughty (Utah Valley)
Stacey Barr (Idaho)
Paris Williams (Chicago State)
Kim Nezianya (Kansas City)