2024-25 WAC preview

One of those thrilling rivalries has already begun before the season has even tipped off. California Baptist and Grand Canyon have emerged as the new dominating forces of the conference, finishing first and second in the conference standings in 2023-24, respectively, with CBU’s 2024 WAC Championship punching its ticket to the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance. These two squads are projected to rule the standings once again in a very close race, but this time, GCU is predicted to have the slight edge, finishing just one point above CBU in the preseason coaches’ poll after receiving the same amount of first-place votes (four). UT Arlington was the only other team to receive a first-place vote.

Read below about the Preseason All-WAC Team and continue reading for more on each of the nine teams in the conference in order of their predicted order of finish.

Looking for a specific team? Click the links below to skip to your favorites:

Grand Canyon | California Baptist | UT Arlington | Abilene Christian | Southern Utah | Tarleton State | Utah Tech | Utah Valley | Seattle U

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Preseason team

Topping the Preseason All-WAC Team is a player who adds another notable layer to this rivalry: Trinity San Antonio. Named WAC Preseason Player of the Year, Grand Canyon’s senior guard began her career at California Baptist, earning a spot on the 2022-23 All-WAC First Team before entering the transfer portal prior to the 2023-24 season. In her first season with the Lopes, San Antonio led the team in scoring (11.5 points per game) and earned All-WAC Defensive Team honors. Fresh off of an invaluable professional-level basketball experience as a member of the Puerto Rican Women’s National Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she averaged 7.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game, it is clear that the coaches of the WAC recognize the impact it will have on San Antonio’s level of play this upcoming season.

The All-WAC list is headlined by experienced seniors, fifth years and graduate students, with the exception of one of the WAC’s young phenoms, Payton Hull of Abilene Christian. Hull’s average of 14.9 points per game made her the clear choice for 2024 WAC Freshman of the Year, as well as earning her a spot on All-WAC Second Team. Her season-high 34 points in her fifth collegiate contest was just a glimpse into her bright future in the conference.

Joining San Antonio on the preseason All-WAC list is teammate and Lopes veteran Tiarra Brown, who is entering her graduate year with GCU. During her time in Phoenix, Brown has racked up two All-WAC First Team and Defensive Team selections, in addition to All-WAC Second Team and Newcomer Team honors in her freshman season.

Avery Brittingham, another in-conference transfer from Stephen F. Austin to UT Arlington prior to the 2023-24 season, made an immediate impact for the Lady Mavs, leading them to their best-ever finish in the WAC and first semifinal appearance, while averaging a career best 13.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. A member of the 2022-23 All-WAC First Team while with her former team, Brittingham made Second Team last season despite her career year that included leading the conference in double-doubles.

Southern Utah’s Daylani Ballena joined Brittingham on last season’s Second Team list but is predicted to make the leap to First Team in her final season as a graduate student for the Thunderbirds. The 5’8 point guard does it all, dishing out a team-high 3.6 assists per game last season while also leading the squad in scoring with 15.4 points per game.

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1. Grand Canyon

• 2023-24 WAC (Overall Record): 16-4 (24-8)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: second
• Head Coach: Molly Miller, fifth season

After finishing second overall in the standings last season and being projected to win it all this time, it might come as a surprise that GCU has seven new members of their squad, including six transfers. Clearly, the caliber of these transfer student-athletes are thought to make up for the usual time needed to rebuild with that many fresh faces. Two members of UNLV’s two-time Mountain West Championship-winning team decided to move to the neighboring state of Arizona to join the Lopes: Alyssa Durazo-Frescas (7.8 ppg, ranked seventh in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage last season) and Nneka Obiazor (8.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg), both strong candidates to make an All-WAC team. Kaitlyn Elsholz from Cal State Northridge and Lucy Ghaifan from Omaha, both standing at 5’11, will offer some important height for the Lopes. These transfers will bolster the offense that Brown and San Antonio dominated last season as they combined for an average 21.8 points and nine rebounds per game in their first year playing together.

2. California Baptist

• 2023-24 WAC (Overall Record): 18-2 (28-4)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: first
• Head Coach: Jarrod Olson, 13th season

After a successful run last season that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament, the graduation of CBU’s leading scorer (21.1 ppg) and rebounder (7.9), Chloe Webb, has left a void in the Lancers’ roster. The star of this year’s team will likely be second-highest scorer and rebounder, Filipa Barros, who added 12.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game to CBU’s effective offense. The Lancers added only one transfer in the offseason, Emma Johansson from South Florida, in addition to two freshman, Shawnee Nordstrom, who is fresh off of three-straight state championships, and Idaho State All-Tournament First Team member Cece Legaspi.

3. UT Arlington

• 2023-24 WAC (Overall Record): 11-9 (17-16)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: fifth
• Head Coach: Shereka Wright, fifth season

Transfers will be the key to the success of the Lady Mavs this season, bringing in four new faces, two new to the conference, after losing last season’s leading scorer, Gia Adams (14.5 ppg) to the transfer portal. Former SEC All-Freshman team member Koi Love is hoping to find success at UT Arlington, her fourth school since beginning her college basketball career in 2019. In addition, 6’3 forward Laura Bello from Idaho State will add a strong presence in the paint, having averaged 9.7 points and 7.7 rebounds for the Bengals last season, while in-conference transfers Zoe Nelson (Stephen F. Austin) and Aspen Thornton (Abilene Christian) will provide more scoring support to last season’s second- and third-highest scorers for the Lady Mavs, Brittingham (13.1 ppg) and Taliyah Clark (12.3).

4. Abilene Christian

• 2023-24 WAC (Overall Record): 10-10 (14-16)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: sixth
• Head Coach: Julie Goodenough, 13th season

Tied with Seattle for the WAC team with the most players to transfer out last season with seven, Abilene Christian managed to slide into the top four in preseason standings. The Wildcats return their two leading scorers, sophomore Hull (14.9 ppg) and senior guard Bella Earle (12.2 ppg), who also led the team in rebounding with 8.2 per game last season.

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5. Southern Utah

• 2023-24 WAC (Overall Record): 6-14 (8-22)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: eighth
• Head Coach: Tracy Mason, sixth season

Similarly to Abilene Christian, Southern Utah has two players — one experienced, one a bit less — who will likely take on the load of their offense. Ballena, a graduate student guard, will fill up the scoring and assists columns, while sophomore guard and 2023-24 WAC All-Freshman Team member Ava Uhrich will take care of the rebounds after leading the team with 7.3 rpg in her first season with the Thunderbirds. With four graduate students and six incoming freshmen — the most of any WAC team this season — SUU’s roster is unique in being able to usher in a bright future.

6. Tarleton State

• 2023-24 WAC (Overall Record): 7-13 (11-20)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: seventh
• Head Coach: Bill Brock, second season

Jakoriah Long, the team’s leading scorer last season and the only player to average double figures in scoring, will return to the Texans for her senior season, along with second-leading scorer and leading rebounder Faith Acker. Head coach Bill Brock and his coaching staff successfully recruited two non-D-I transfers that are certainly not to be underestimated. Arieona Rosborough of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor made the jump from D-III to D-I after earning the American Southwest Conference Player of the Year in her sophomore season, in addition to All-Conference First Team in her three seasons in nearby Belton, Texas. Grad transfer Niki Van Wyk earned All-RMAC First Team honors during her senior season at Black Hills State in 2022-23.

7. Utah Tech

• 2023-24 WAC/Overall Record: 12-8 (18-14)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: fourth
• Head Coach: JD Gustin, ninth season

With the loss of two double-figure-scoring starters and not much on the recruiting front to compensate, it appears that the Bison will have a bit of a rebuilding year. The team finished last season first in the WAC in 3-point percentage and second in overall field goal percentage with the help of leading scorer and rebounder Breaunna Gillen, who ran out of eligibility. Twin guards Macie and Maddie Warren, who fittingly were Utah Tech’s second- and third-leading scorers last season, will return to the starting lineup along with sophomore stat-sheet-stuffer guard Calyn Dallas.

8. Utah Valley

• 2023-24 WAC (Overall Record): 5-15 (10-19)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: 10th
• Head Coach: Dan Nielson, sixth season

Utah Valley struggled to find an offensive spark, averaging only 59 points per game last season with no players averaging in double figures. The Wolverines added three transfers and three freshmen to their roster, but none of them seem to particularly target this scoring issue. Leading scorers Tahlia White (8.2 ppg) and Kylee Mabry (8.0 ppg) will return to the starting lineup.

9. Seattle U

• 2023-24 WAC (Overall Record): 6-14 (6-23)
• 2023-24 WAC Finish: ninth
• Head Coach: Skyler Young, second season

The Redhawks continue to struggle to rise in the WAC ranks with only one player remaining from last season’s roster. Seattle-area native Julianna Walker was their fourth leading scorer last season, but will need to increase her contributions this season to support the offense. Sophie Benharouga headlines Seattle’s transfer portal acquisitions as a 6’1 forward who averaged 8.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game during the 2022-23 season at Morehead State.

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