Iowa State tops Big 12 WBB preseason poll for first time since 2000-01
October 6th, 2022 by admin
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State women’s basketball team has been picked by the Big 12’s coaches to win the 2022-23 regular season title, the conference announced on Thursday. The Cyclones finished one point ahead of second-place Texas, amassing 75 points to the Longhorns’ 74, with each team receiving four first-place votes.
This is the third time the Cyclones have been picked to win the regular season title. In 1999-00, the Cyclones were picked first ahead of the season and delivered with a regular season crown. ISU was again picked first in 2000-01, and though Iowa State came up a spot short, they did go on to win the 2001 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Expectations are high for the Cyclones after Bill Fennelly’s squad set a program-record with 28 wins last season and returned to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010. The 2021-22 Cyclones also set a record for conference victories in a season with 14.
Many familiar faces return for this Iowa State squad, led by 2022-23 Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year Ashley Joens. The two-time defending Cheryl Miller Award winner was also a unanimous selection for the All-Big 12 Preseason Team and was joined by Lexi Donarski and Emily Ryan, both of whom were also All-Big 12 First Team selections at the end of 2021-22.
The Cyclones make their first appearance in Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday, Nov. 2 for an exhibition against Winona State prior to the regular season kickoff against Cleveland State on Monday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. at Hilton.
2022-23 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
First-place votes in parentheses
- Iowa State (4), 75 Points
- Texas (4), 74
- Oklahoma (1), 65
- Baylor (1), 62
- Kansas, 49
- Kansas State, 37
- Texas Tech, 29
- West Virginia, 26
- Oklahoma State, 23
- TCU, 10