SFA Picked 2nd/3rd in SLC Preseason Polls
10/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Southland Conference Release
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin women’s basketball team will once again have high expectations entering the season after being tabbed to finish second and third in the preseason sports information directors’ and coaches’ polls, respectfully, the league office announced on Wednesday morning.
The Ladyjacks garnered 117 total points and three first place votes in the SID poll to finish second behind Lamar in the voting. SFA was picked third behind Lamar and Northwestern State by the league’s coaches, collecting 125 points and two first place votes overall.
The Ladyjacks, who were projected first in both preseason polls a year ago, went 16-2 in SLC play last season to claim their second consecutive league crown and 17th conference title in program history. The collection of 17 regular season trophies is the largest in the SLC by 12.
SFA finished the year red hot, winning its final 11 games of the regular season to post the program’s best conference record (16-2) since the 2001-02 season. The ‘Jacks also ended the year with a 15-game home winning streak, which was the 10th longest active streak in the NCAA last March.
The Ladyjacks’ NCAA Tournament hopes came to an end in the SLC Tournament semifinals with an 88-81 loss to Houston Baptist. Despite the heartbreaking defeat, SFA made it back to the postseason for the 29th time in school history with an automatic bid to the WNIT. In a thrilling game at TCU in the first round, a Ladyjack comeback fell just short, 85-80, marking the end of a magical season.
Fans will witness a slightly different look for the Ladyjacks in 2015-16 as head coach Mark Kellogg begins a new era of women’s basketball in his first season at the helm. The new bench boss comes to Nacogdoches with a tremendous resume. In 10 years as a head coach, he has a combined record of 250-65 (.794), most recently posting a 62-6 overall record in two years at West Texas A&M.
Kellogg will have plenty of weapons at his disposal this year, with eight returning letterwinners and three starters from 2014-15 back on the current roster. Taylor Ross, a 2015 Second Team All-SLC selection, will be joined by Butler transfer Taylor Schippers for what is expected to be one of the best backcourt tandems in the league.
A junior guard from Pflugerville, Texas, Ross represents SFA’s top returning scorer after averaging 14.0 points per game in 2014-15. On Tuesday, she was named to the Preseason All-SLC Second Team as SFA’s lone representative.
Senior guard Paulletta Powell and sophomore guard Charisma Alexander split time in a starting role last season and will both be called on to contribute again this season.
Along with Schippers, 6-0 forward Stevi Parker will be eligible to compete this season after sitting out all of last year due to NCAA transfer rules. Coming to SFA from Tulsa, Parker is a redshirt sophomore.
SFA also returns junior shooting guard Brentney Branch, senior guard Victoria Pena, sophomore forward Danielle Rogers, junior forward LaNesha Middleton and junior center Adrienne Lewis. New in the Ladyjack purple in white will be freshmen guards Chanell Hayes, Kennedy Harris, KJ Stastny and Madison Davis and community college transfer Taylor Birchfield.
The Ladyjacks will open the season on November 13th at 7:00 p.m. against UT-Tyler inside William R. Johnson Coliseum. To purchase season tickets for the 2015-16 women’s basketball season, fans can contact the SFA ticket office at (936) 468-JACK (5225).
2015-16 Preseason Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Polls
Coaches’ Poll
1. Lamar (5) – 130
2. Northwestern State (5) – 126
3. Stephen F. Austin (2) – 125
4. McNeese State (2) – 123
5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 100
6. Houston Baptist – 92
7. Central Arkansas – 88
8. Nicholls – 80
9. Abilene Christian – 74
10. Sam Houston State – 61
11. New Orleans – 47
12. Southeastern Louisiana – 28
13. Incarnate Word – 18
SID Poll
1. Lamar (5) – 125
2. Stephen F. Austin (3) – 117
3. Northwestern State (3) – 110
4. McNeese State (1) – 108
5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 105
6. Houston Baptist (1) – 87
T7. Central Arkansas – 73
T7. Nicholls – 73
9. Abilene Christian – 69
10. Sam Houston State – 53
11. New Orleans – 41
12. Southeastern Louisiana – 35
13. Incarnate Word – 18
(First place votes in parentheses)
-SFA-
