On our final preview episode of the Anything but Mid podcast, we previewed the SWAC, UAC, WCC and Sun Belt on the women’s basketball side. Let’s take a look at how things are shaping up in these conferences:
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SWAC
Southern is the defending tournament champion after a 20-14 (12-6) season and is poised to defend the title. The Jaguars return three of their top four scorers in DeMya Porter (9.6), Jocelyn Tate (7.8) and Zaria Hurston (7.7).
Hurston also averaged 4.1 rebounds. Tate was named the SWAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player and the Preseason SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. They also have Taniya Lawson coming off a foot injury and Alisha Nunley from Old Dominion.
Alabama A&M went 17-1 in conference play last season and maintains a talented roster coming into this season. While some of the core is gone, Aniya Palmer was named to the Preseason All-SWAC Second Team after averaging 7.5 points and 5.7 rebounds. The Bulldogs have potential important contributors in Alisha Murray (Grambling State), Janessa Kelley (Bethune-Cookman), Addison Howell (Mississippi Valley State) and Asianae Nicholson (Charlotte) coming in. While the roster looks a little different, Alabama A&M will still be a competitor this season.
Alcorn State had the second best conference record at 14-4 but lost its top three scorers from last season. The top returning scorer is Lauren Nelson at 5.9. Alabama State, also going 12-6 last season, is another team looking to compete this season. Caylee Simpson is returning 9.2 points to the program, and Ny’Keria Flowers averaged six points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals in her freshman campaign. Simpson and Charlese McClendon were named to the Preseason All-SWAC Second Team.
UAC
This is a totally new-look conference. Formerly the WAC, Abilene Christian, Tarleton State and UT Arlington are the only carry-over teams from the WAC. Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama and West Georgia are coming from the ASUN, and Little Rock joins from the OVC. This gives the conference a completely different look.
Abilene Christian went 24-11 overall and 13-5 in conference play and went to the WNIT Super 16 two straight years. The Wildcats return a great core from last year’s roster. WAC Player of the Year Payton Hull comes off a season averaging 18.3 points and 4.1 rebounds, and Erin Woodson averaged 14.1 points and 6.4 rebounds. They also have Meredith Mayes for a full-season, who averaged 15.2 points and 7.9 rebounds on 68.2% from the field before a season-ending injury. While the UAC is a tough conference to predict, this may be the best looking team so far.
Another competitive team is going to be Austin Peay after going 8-10 in ASUN play last season. The Governors lost leading scorer Anovia Sheals, who averaged 14.1 points and 5.9 rebounds last season, to George Mason. But they have West Georgia transfer Destiny Jones coming in after averages of 11.1 points and 8.7 rebounds and have Division-II transfers Tish Blackwood, Kiara Croskey and Peighton Jambor coming in. Croskey averaged 8.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.4 steals en route to winning the Conference Carolinas Player of the Year. Austin Peay also retained Jim’Miyah Branton and Veronaye Charlton, who both averaged 10.5 points last season. While this may be Abilene Christian’s league, other competitive teams should be UT Arlington and Tarleton State.
WCC
The WCC is another conference with some major changes. Perennially dominant Gonzaga left along with Oregon State and Washington State, and Denver joined from the Summit League. Gonzaga has consistently been at the top of the WCC so the top of the conference is completely wide open for the rest of the teams.
LMU went 15-3 last season and appeared in the WBIT but has some roster turnover, looking to replace fix of its six top scorers from last season. Janay Brantley is a pretty big transfer from Stony Brook after she averaged 12.4 points and 4.5 rebounds. Other key transfers are Shawnee Nordstrom from California Baptist and Danae Powell from Fresno State. If Powell, Nordstrom and Brantley can perform to their expectations, LMU will once again be a top contender in the WCC.
Santa Clara is another team that’ll be atop the WCC. Maia Jones is returning after averaging 15 points and 4.6 rebounds en route to first-team All-WCC honors last season. They also return more major pieces in Sophie Glancey (14.6 PPG, seven RPG), Ava Schmidt (12.4 PPG), Kylee Fox (9.2PPG) and Aniya Hooker (six PPG). The Broncos were one of the best offensive teams in the entire county last season after averaging just over 80 points and return a huge chunk of that scoring.
Pepperdine could potentially make some noise as well after going 21-13 and making a run to the WNIT Super 16. A massive returner for Pepperdine is Elli Guiney, who averaged 15 points on an incredible 41.6% from deep. Other pieces in Lina Falk, Seleh Harmon and Fresno State transfer Taija Sta. Maria will also be big contributors for Pepperdine.
Sun Belt
James Madison enters with some of the highest expectations at the mid-major level. The Dukes went 14-4 in conference and 26-9 overall en route to a conference tournament championship and a No.12 seed in the NCAA Tournament. James Madison returns major pieces in Preseason All-Sun Belt selections Bree Robinson, Zakiya Stephenson and Grace McDonough. The Dukes also bring in Trynce Taylor from Kennesaw State and a strong freshman class.
Troy is another program that’ll be a really competitive team in the Sun Belt. The Trojans return Preseason All-Sun Belt Aniya Hubbard and expect big jumps from Saniya Jackson and Taliah Martin. They also bring in Shakirah Edwards from Mississippi State. While James Madison and Troy project to be the two top teams in the Sun Belt, programs in Arkansas State, Marshall and Louisiana Tech will be competitive teams towards the top.
