Jayhawks Selected to Finish 10th in Big 12 Action
IRVING, Texas – Kansas women’s basketball was selected to finish 10th in 2015-16 by the Big 12 coaches as released by the conference on Wednesday morning.
Baylor was named the preseason favorite by the league coaches, an honor that the Lady Bears have claimed four-consecutive seasons from 2009-13, tallying eight first-place votes. Texas edged Oklahoma by a point for second place in the preseason poll with a first-place vote and a total of 70 points. The Sooners, who were the top preseason selection a year ago, were picked to finish third with one first-place vote.
With 48 points, Iowa State was voted to finish the Big 12 slate fourth. TCU was next at No. 5, followed by West Virginia, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Kansas.
Brandon Schneider, who has led 14 of his 17 squads to postseason play, including a 2010 National Championship at Emporia State, was named the six head coach in Kansas women’s basketball history this past April, and looks to exceed the expectations of his peers.
Kansas returns six letterwinners from last season, while welcoming nine newcomers to Allen Fieldhouse. Among the veterans are 2015 All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection Lauren Aldridge, two-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree Caelynn Manning-Allen and two-year starter Jada Brown.
KU inked four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period last November and signatures from Jayde Christopher, Tyler Johnson, Kylee Kopatich and Aisia Robertson led to ESPN’s HoopGurlz ranking the 2015 Kansas recruiting class at No. 18. Chelsea Lott, McKenzie Calvert, Sydney Benoit, Jessica Washington and Kelea Dennis round out the list of newcomers to Schneider’s first roster at the helm of the KU program.
Schneider has vowed the Jayhawks will play tough and together, and season tickets are now on sale at just $69 for a full season of women’s basketball action in Allen Fieldhouse. Family Zone tickets are also available and include two adult and two youth tickets to every home game for only $149.
The 2015-16 season starts with two exhibition games, the first against Pittsburg State on Nov. 1 at 2 p.m., in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks host 19 games at home, which include the exhibition games. KU opens the regular season on Nov. 15 against Texas Southern.
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