UTEP Women’s Basketball Team Picked 6th in C-USA Poll

In three weeks, college basketball season will be officially underway, and Conference USA released their preseason polls today. UTEP was selected 6th out of 14 teams in the league, as voted on by their 14 head coaches. The Miners finished last season with a record of 16-14 and they had defeated Florida Atlantic in the C-USA Tournament before the postseason was canceled due to COVID. Judging from this practice video, head coach Kevin Baker expects his team to pick up right where they left off in March.

2020-21 C-USA Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
1. Middle Tennessee (8)
2. Rice (3)
3. Old Dominion (3)
4. Charlotte
5. WKU
6. UTEP
7. UAB
8. North Texas
9. Louisiana Tech
10. Florida Atlantic
11. Southern Miss
12. Marshall
13. UTSA
14. FIU

UTEP sophomore point guard Katia Gallegos was also named to the C-USA preseason team, marking the first time a Miner player had been selected since Jenzel Nash and Sparkle Taylor in the 2016-17 season.

2020-21 C-USA Preseason Team
Mariah Linney, Charlotte, Sr., G
Amber Dixon, Louisiana Tech, Sr., G
Savannah Wheeler, Marshall, So., G
Aislynn Hayes, Middle Tennessee, So., G
*Anastasia Hayes, Middle Tennessee, R-Jr., G
*Nancy Mulkey, Rice, Sr., C
Amari Young, Old Dominion, Jr., F
Ajah Wayne, Old Dominion, Jr., G
Katia Gallegos, UTEP, So., G

*Preseason Players of the Year