By: Morry Watson, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
RICHARDSON, Texas – Returning 10 players from the previous season, the Concordia Texas women's basketball team was picked to finish eighth in the American Southwest Conference as the conference office released its preseason poll and players to watch list on Wednesday.
A strong sophomore class led the Tornados last season, finishing 2-8 in a shortened schedule consisting only of conference games, and will return to improve upon their 2020-21 campaign this year.
In the league's preseason poll, which is voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors, CTX received 92 points and occupied the eighth spot on the poll.
East Texas Baptist, ranked No. 2 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Top 25, was picked to finish first in the ASC, receiving 233 points and 17 of 22 first-place votes. UT Dallas followed with 207 points and three first-place votes, and Hardin-Simmons rounded out the top three with 206 points and one first-place vote.
On the Players to Watch list,
Madi Maxwell,
Natalie Velardez, and
Havyn Perez, a trio of juniors, represented the Tornados.
Maxwell is coming off an ASC West First Team selection, ending the season as the fifth-leading scorer in the ASC with 14.4 points per game. The guard also added 5.7 rebounds per game and shot 36.8% from deep, as well as picking up 2.3 steals per game on the defensive end.
Velardez, an ASC All-Freshman selection two years ago, nearly posted double-digit scoring with 9.3 points per game last season. The Levelland, Texas native grabbed four rebounds per game and shot 34.7% from the field and 93.3% from the free throw line.
Perez ran the point guard position for the Tornados, averaging 6.7 points and a team-high 3.7 assists per game. Perez also grabbed 4.3 rebounds per game and blocked a pair of shots on the defensive end.
The trio of juniors return with two years of experience and will look to lead the squad as they open their season on Nov. 5, hosting Southwestern in Concordia Fieldhouse.
ASC Women's Basketball Preseason Polls
| No. |
Team (First-place votes) |
Pts. |
2020-21 Record (ASC) |
| 1. |
East Texas Baptist (17) |
233 |
25-1 (15-0) |
| 2. |
UT Dallas (3) |
207 |
14-3 (9-2) |
| 3. |
Hardin-Simmons (1) |
206 |
16-5 (11-3) |
| 4. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor (1) |
174 |
13-8 (7-7) |
| 5. |
LeTourneau |
143 |
12-6 (8-4) |
| 6. |
Sul Ross State |
121 |
10-14 (7-5) |
| 7. |
Howard Payne |
117 |
10-7 (6-3) |
| 8. |
Concordia Texas |
92 |
2-8 (2-8) |
| 9. |
Belhaven |
67 |
6-12 (3-9) |
| 10. |
McMurry |
54 |
2-16 (2-12) |
| 11. |
Ozarks |
35 |
1-14 (1-14) |
ASC Women's Basketball Preseason Watch List
| Name |
Pos. |
Class |
School |
Hometown |
| Kourtne Lee R |
G |
So. |
Belhaven |
Raceland, La. |
| Ashanti Lipscomb |
G |
So. |
Belhaven |
Mobile, Ala. |
| Madi Maxwell 1 |
G |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Wichita Falls, Texas |
| Natalie Velardez |
F |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Levelland, Texas |
| Havyn Perez |
G |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Seminole, Texas |
| Taylor Singleton P 1 D |
G |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Friendswood, Texas |
| Haley Fieseler |
C |
Gr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Mount Pleasant, Texas |
| Bridget Upton N 2 |
G |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
George West, Texas |
| Parris Parmer 2 D |
F |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
San Angelo, Texas |
| Brittany Schnabel 2 |
G |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Millsap, Texas |
| Hallie Edmondson 2 |
G |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Roby, Texas |
| Salina Ali D H |
G |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Amanda Turpin F 2 R |
G |
So. |
Howard Payne |
Cypress, Texas |
| Bria Neal 2 |
G |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
LaPlace, La. |
| Keauna Whitfield * 1 D |
G |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Rosebud, Texas |
| Ajanae Thomas N 1 |
F |
Jr. |
LeTourneau |
Detroit, Mich. |
| Malacia Guy H |
G |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Itasca, Texas |
| Ashley Faux R |
F |
So. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Frisco, Texas |
| Kaitlyn Kollmorgen R |
C |
So. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Houston, Texas |
| Olivia Champion |
G |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
San Jose, Costa Rica |
| Destiny Mathews 1 |
F |
Jr. |
McMurry |
Palestine, Texas |
| Taya Bridges |
G |
Jr. |
McMurry |
Mesquite, Texas |
| Valery Alvarado |
G |
Jr. |
McMurry |
Abilene, Texas |
| Kerigan Bradshaw H |
G |
Sr. |
Ozarks |
Harrison, Ark. |
| Faith Curry |
G |
Jr. |
Ozarks |
The Bahamas |
| Stevie Perkins |
F |
Sr. |
Ozarks |
Wellston, Okla. |
| Vania Hampton * Y N 1 |
F |
Jr. |
Sul Ross State |
Austin, Texas |
| Alexis Carmosino H |
G/F |
Sr. |
Sul Ross State |
Phoenix, Ariz. |
| Teresa Quintana H |
G |
Jr. |
Sul Ross State |
El Paso, Texas |
| Paris Kiser H |
G |
So. |
UT Dallas |
Burnet, Texas |
| McKenzie Howard F R |
C |
Fr. |
UT Dallas |
Katy, Texas |
| Jordan Maxwell D |
G |
So. |
UT Dallas |
El Paso, Texas |
* 2020-21 All-American Southwest Conference
Y 2020-21 Division Player of the Year
F 2020-21 Division Freshman of the Year
N 2020-21 Division Newcomer of the Year
P 2020-21 Division Defensive Player of the Year
1 2020-21 All-Division First Team Selection
2 2020-21 All-Division Second Team Selection
R 2020-21 Division All-Freshman Team
D 2020-21 Division All-Defensive Team
H 2020-21 All-Division Honorable Mention
