South Dakota State, the reigning tournament champion, was selected as the preseason favorite for the 2015-16 Summit League Women’s Basketball Championship in a preseason poll of league coaches, SIDs and select media.
The Jackrabbits edged out South Dakota by a mere six points and collected 17 first-place votes in the closest preseason poll race since 2004-05.
South Dakota senior guard Nicole Seekamp was tabbed as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year after averaging a league-high 5.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game last season, along with 15.6 points per game.
The Jackrabbits welcome back eight letterwinners, including three starters, from last season’s NCAA Tournament team. SDSU is led by sophomore point guard Macy Miller (13.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg), a second team all-league and an all-tournament team selection a year ago.
The Coyotes, a 2015 WNIT second round participant, also bring back three starters from last season’s Summit League regular season championship squad along with reigning Coach of the Year, Amy Williams. USD received 15 first-place votes.
IUPUI was tabbed in third and welcome back a league-best four starters, while Oral Roberts received one first-place vote and was selected fourth.
The Jackrabbits and Coyotes each had a league-high three student-athletes on the preseason all-league teams. SDSU placed Miller and junior guard/forward Kerri Young (9.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg) on the first team, while sophomore forward Ellie Thompson (6.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) was named to the second team. USD’s Seekamp earned first team distinction with senior guard Tia Hemiller (8.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and senior center Margaret McCloud (9.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg) being on the second team.
Denver senior guard Paige Bradley (12.7 ppg, 4.4 apg), Omaha junior forward Mikaela Shaw (15.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg) and IUPUI senior forward Akilah Sims (11.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg) rounded out the first team. Along with Hemiller, McCloud and Thompson, the second team consisted of North Dakota State senior forward Holly Johnson (12.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Western Illinois senior guard Michelle Maher (9.2 ppg, 4.1 apg).
| 2015-16 Summit League Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll | ||
| Place | Team | Points (1st) |
| 1. | South Dakota State | 508 (17) |
| 2. | South Dakota | 502 (15) |
| 3. | IUPUI | 379 |
| 4. | Oral Roberts | 317 (1) |
| 5. | Western Illinois | 276 |
| 6. | North Dakota State | 250 |
| 7. | Omaha | 199 |
| 8. | Denver | 183 |
| 9. | Fort Wayne | 86 |
