ARLINGTON, Texas – Grand Canyon earned the top spot in the preseason 2023-24 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll that was released on Sunday. All 11 WAC head coaches voted on the predicted order of finish and all-conference awards.
Grand Canyon claimed six first-place votes and 93 voting points to finish ahead of defending WAC tournament champion Southern Utah (five first-place votes, 87 voting points). California Baptist (83 points), Utah Tech (71 points) and Stephen F. Austin (61 points) rounded out the top five teams in the coaches poll.
Utah Tech’s fifth year guard
Breaunna Gillen was named the 2023-24 WAC Preseason Player of the Year. Gillen led the conference in assists with 200 and assists per game (6.5) during the 2022-23 season. She averaged 17.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 31 starts for the Trailblazers.
Gillen was joined on the preseason all-conference team by California Baptist sophomore forward
Grace Schmidt, Grand Canyon’s junior guard
Trinity San Antonio and senior guard/forward
Tiarra Brown and Southern Utah graduate student guard
Tomekia Whitman.
2023-24 WAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
| Rank |
Team (1st- Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. |
Grand Canyon (6) |
93 |
| 2. |
Southern Utah (5) |
87 |
| 3. |
California Baptist |
83 |
| 4. |
Utah Tech |
71 |
| 5. |
Stephen F. Austin |
61 |
| 6. |
Abilene Christian |
54 |
| 7. |
UT Arlington |
53 |
| 8. |
UTRGV |
42 |
| 9. |
Tarleton State |
22 |
|
Utah Valley |
22 |
| 11. |
Seattle U |
17 |
2023-24 WAC Preseason Player of the Year: Breaunna Gillen, Fifth, G, Utah Tech
2023-24 Preseason All-WAC Team
Grace Schmidt, So., F, California Baptist
Trinity San Antonio, Jr., G, Grand Canyon
Tiarra Brown, Sr., G/F, Grand Canyon
Tomekia Whitman, Gr., G, Southern Utah
Breaunna Gillen, Fifth, G, Utah Tech