Coach Jeff Judkins’ BYU women’s basketball team faces a rebuilding season after losing star forward Kalani Purcell to graduation, but the Cougars should still be one of the West Coast Conference’s best teams, the league’s coaches believe.
BYU is picked to finish third in the WCC women’s basketball race, according to a preseason poll released Wednesday at the WCC Media Day in Las Vegas.
Also in the event at the Orleans Arena, where the WCC tournament is held, BYU’s Cassie Broadhead-Devashrayee was named to the 10-member All-WCC Preseason Women’s Basketball Team. Broadhead-Devashrayee was the 2017 WCC Player of the Year last season.
She was second in the league in scoring, free-throw percentage and 3-point field goal percentage, third in field goal percentage and fourth in assists.
Defending champion Gonzaga is picked to win the league, and received eight first-place votes. Saint Mary’s is picked to finish second and garnered two first-place votes. BYU and SMC tied for second-place last season, a game behind Gonzaga.
The WCC men’s basketball preseason poll and men’s preseason all-conference team will be announced Thursday morning at the same venue.
WCC Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll<br>1. Gonzaga • 79points<br>2. Saint Mary’s • 72<br>3. BYU • 68<br>4.San Diego 54<br>5. Loyola Marymount • 48<br>6. Santa Clara •39<br>7. San Francisco • 36<br>8. Pacific • 28<br>9.Pepperdine • 14<br>10. Portland • 12