FRISCO, Texas – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team has been projected to finish in seventh place in the 2019-20 Southland Conference Preseason Poll released Thursday afternoon by the league office.
Coming off a program-record 14 wins in league play, the Colonels received 154 points to finish behind Central Arkansas (172) for sixth. The top five teams all received at least one first-place vote, headed by preseason favorite Abilene Christian with 14. With 273 total points, ACU was followed by Stephen F. Austin with nine first-place votes and 255 points. The rest of the top five - Sam Houston State (234), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (229) and Lamar (195) - each tallied one first-place vote.
Nicholls led the Louisiana schools at No. 7 and the rest of the state programs took up the next four spots. New Orleans (113) was predicted to finish at eighth, followed by McNeese (111), Southeastern Louisiana (86), and Northwestern State (78). Two of the newer members, HBU (73) and UIW (55), round out the preseason poll.
If the projections hold, the Colonels would extend their program-record to nine straight appearances in the Southland Conference Tournament. Nicholls had only made the postseason three times before head coach
DoBee Plaisance took over the program in 2008.
The preseason poll is voted upon by the head coach and sports information director from each Southland school. Each individual ranks the other 12 teams in their predicted order of regular season finish. Ranking one's own school is not permitted.
2019-20 Southland Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
|
School (First-place votes) |
Total |
| 1. |
Abilene Christian (14) |
273 |
| 2. |
Stephen F. Austin (9) |
255 |
| 3. |
Sam Houston State (1) |
234 |
| 4. |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1) |
229 |
| 5. |
Lamar (1) |
195 |
| 6. |
Central Arkansas |
172 |
| 7. |
Nicholls |
154 |
| 8. |
New Orleans |
113 |
| 9. |
McNeese |
111 |
| 10. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
86 |
| 11. |
Northwestern State |
78 |
| 12. |
Houston Baptist |
73 |
| 13. |
UIW |
55 |
SEASON OPENER
The Colonels begin the season on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at Rice. Tipoff is Houston is scheduled for 7 p.m. For more details, check out the full 2019-20 women's basketball schedule
HERE.
STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Colonels Women's Basketball, follow the team on Twitter (
@Nicholls_WBB) and Instagram (
@Nicholls_WBB).
