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UMHB Women’s Basketball selected to finish fourth in ASC Preseason Poll, 3 Crusaders named to Preseason Watch List

Above photo courtesy of the American Southwest Conference

RICHARDSON, Texas- On Wednesday morning, the ASC released its Preseason Women’s Basketball Poll, and UMHB, the reigning conference tournament champion, was picked to finish fourth. 

The Crusaders, coming off a season in which they went 13-8 and defeated ETBU in the ASC Championship game, tallied 174 points and one first-place vote. The poll was voted upon by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. 

ETBU took the top spot in the poll, as the Tigers, who posted a 15-0 record in conference play, begin the year ranked No. 2 by D3hoops.com. UT-Dallas was selected to finish No. 2, and Hardin-Simmons No. 3. 

ASC Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll (Per ascsports.org)

No.Team (First-place votes)Pts.  2020-21 Record (ASC)
1.East Texas Baptist (17)23325-1 (15-0)
2.UT Dallas (3)20714-3 (9-2)
3.Hardin-Simmons (1)20616-5 (11-3)
4.Mary Hardin-Baylor (1)17413-8 (7-7)
5.LeTourneau14312-6 (8-4)
6.Sul Ross State12110-14 (7-5)
7.Howard Payne11710-7 (6-3)
8.Concordia Texas922-8 (2-8)
9.Belhaven676-12 (3-9)
10.McMurry542-16 (2-12)
11.Ozarks351-14 (1-14)

Additionally, the conference released its Preseason Watch List, which featured three UMHB standouts. 

Ashley Faux, a sophomore forward, enters her second season in Belton after averaging 4.8 points per game last year. The Frisco, Texas native was also an ASC West Division All-Freshman Team Selection in 2020-21, adding 1.9 rebounds per game. 

Kaitlyn Kollmorgen, also a sophomore, was selected to the Watch List after finishing her freshman season strong, scoring a season-high 15 points in UMHB’s ASC Tournament semifinal win over Hardin-Simmons. She averaged 3.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last year, and was named to the ASC’s West Division All-Freshman team. 

Olivia Champion was the third Crusader to earn a spot on the Watch List. The junior guard played in all 21 games a year ago, with 6.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest. 

UMHB opens its season in Belton on Nov. 6, with an 8 p.m. CT contest against Rhodes.

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