University of Tennessee Athletics
Coaches Pick Lady Vols Second In SEC Poll
November 05, 2014 | Women's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Southeastern Conference released it preseason coaches poll for women's basketball on Wednesday, and Tennessee has been picked to finish second in the league in 2014-15.
UT's position matches where it was selected in the SEC media poll, which was announced on Oct. 21.
The Lady Vols, who were 29-6, finished second in the SEC and won the league tournament a year ago, received 155 points in voting by the conference's head coaches. Holly Warlick's squad returns four starters and eight active letterwinners.
South Carolina, the 2013-14 regular-season champion, received 169 poll points and was picked to defend its crown. The Gamecocks return all five starters.
Texas A&M (144), Kentucky (135), Georgia (108), Vanderbilt (107) and LSU (94) round out the top half the league. Mississippi State (87), Florida (86), Auburn (53), Missouri (48), Arkansas (40), Alabama (25) and Ole Miss (23) comprise the bottom half.
South Carolina's Tiffany Mitchell was voted as SEC Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. Mitchell's teammate Aleighsa Welch, Tennessee's Isabelle Harrison and Texas A&M's Courtney Walker also received votes.
Joining Mitchell, Welch, Harrison and Walker on the All-SEC Preseason First Team are Jessica Jackson, Arkansas; Jennifer O'Neill, Kentucky; Danielle Ballard, LSU; Martha Alwal, Mississippi State; Alaina Coates, South Carolina; and Bashaara Graves, Tennessee.
Harrison (13.6 ppg., 9.3 rpg.) was a first-team All-SEC choice and SEC Tournament MVP in 2013-14, while Graves (9.3 ppg., 6.8 rpg.) hopes to rebound as a junior after earning first-team all-league status and SEC Freshman of the Year in 2012-13 but not earning accolades a year ago.
The Preseason All-SEC Second Team is comprised of Kayla Lewis, Florida; Shacobia Barbee, Georgia; Bria Goss, Kentucky; Tia Faleru, Ole Miss; Morgan Eye, Missouri; Jordan Jones, Texas A&M; Courtney Williams, Texas A&M; and Rebekah Dahlman, Vanderbilt.
Points were compiled on a 13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each coach also voted for an eight-player All-SEC first team, an eight-player All-SEC second team and the Player of the Year. Coaches cannot vote for their own team or players and ties are not broken.
Order of Finish
1. South Carolina (169)
2. Tennessee (155)
3. Texas A&M (144)
4. Kentucky (135)
5. Georgia (108)
6. Vanderbilt (107)
7. LSU (94)
8. Mississippi State (87)
9. Florida (86)
10. Auburn (53)
11. Missouri (48)
12. Arkansas (40)
13. Alabama (25)
14. Ole Miss (23)
Player of the Year
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Preseason All-SEC First Team
Jessica Jackson, Arkansas
Jennifer O'Neill, Kentucky
Danielle Ballard, LSU
Martha Alwal, Mississippi State
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Aleighsa Welch, South Carolina
Bashaara Graves, Tennessee
Isabelle Harrison, Tennessee
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M
Preseason All-SEC Second Team
Kayla Lewis, Florida
Shacobia Barbee, Georgia
Bria Goss, Kentucky
Tia Faleru, Ole Miss
Morgan Eye, Missouri
Jordan Jones, Texas A&M
Courtney Williams, Texas A&M
Rebekah Dahlman, Vanderbilt
