Women's Basketball | 10/16/2024 4:00:00 PM

GOODWELL, Okla.: The Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) has released its 2024-25 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, with Oklahoma Panhandle State University selected to finish 12th, which was voted on by the league's coaches.
 
The Aggies, coming off a challenging 2023-24 season in which they posted a 3-22 overall record and went 3-19 in SAC play, are determined to bounce back.
 
Head coach Maria Wiltzius, who took over early last season as interim head coach, will continue to guide the team through a critical year of growth and improvement.
 
One of the team's most notable improvements came in rebounding. The Aggies reduced their rebounding deficit significantly, going from a -5.0 margin in the 2022-23 season to -2.5 in 2023-24.
 
Defensively, the Aggies saw a positive shift in their interior defense, increasing their average blocks per game from 1.7 to 2.1. While steals per game dropped slightly, the improvement in shot-blocking demonstrates the team's focus on protecting the paint more effectively.
 
The Aggies return Jamiah Clay, Jana Radovanovic, Alex Kimble, Carolyn Olvera, Molly Jones, Mariah Williams, Heidi Rodriguez and Diana Santos.
 
When asked head coach Maria Wiltzius about the upcoming season Wiltzius stated"I cannot wait to see these young ladies go out and compete this year! With our equal mix of returners and newcomers we have a lot of room for positive growth. The young ladies have put in the work in preseason and now, less than 2 weeks away from our first game, we look forward to remaining respectable night in and night out. Our slogan this year is Handle Business, because there is a new way of how we represent our great University and change this basketball program. Very excited to see Anchor D Bank Arena filled this year to support these women and all of their talent!"
 
Looking ahead, the Aggies face a competitive SAC field. Wayland Baptist led the 2024-25 preseason poll, followed by Mid-America Christian and Langston. The Aggies, picked 12th, will open their season at home on October 31 against York University (Neb.) at 6:00 PM.
 
 
Here is the complete 2024 SAC Women's Basketball Coaches Poll:

1. Wayland Baptist                     142 (10)
2. Mid-America Christian           127 (1)           
3. Langston                                120(1)
4. College of the Ozarks            108(1)
5. Texas Wesleyan                     98
6. Nelson                                    83
7. John Brown                            80
8. Southwestern Christian          65
9. Oklahoma City                        64
10. Science & Arts                        52
11. North Texas-Dallas                 34
12. Panhandle State                     23
13. 13.Central Christian                18