Temple University Athletics
Butts and Fitzgerald Earned First-Team Preseason Honors
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Women's Basketball Picked Second in American Preseason Poll
10.24.16 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA – The Temple women's basketball team was picked to finish second in the American Athletic Conference in voting by the league's head coaches, the conference announced on Monday. In addition, the Owls had two first-team preseason All-Conference selections in senior Feyonda Fitzgerald and junior Alliya Butts.
UConn was selected as the preseason favorite tallying 100 points and 10 of 11 first-place votes. The Huskies enter the season returning seven letterwinners and two starters from last year's squad that went an unblemished 38-0 (18-0 in the American) and won its fourth consecutive national championship.
Temple was picked to finish second with 87 points. The Owls, who reached the WNIT quarterfinals last season, return nine from last year's squad and welcome three newcomers in 2016-17.
Fitzgerald was second on the Owls in scoring last year, averaging 13.6 points per game. She led the team with 186 assists (5.3 per game), which ranks second in a single season at Temple. Named to the American Athletic Conference second team, she also earned Philadelphia All-Big 5 second team honors.
Last year, Butts led the Owls in scoring for a second-straight year, averaging 15.1 ppg and collecting a team-high 80 steals. She was named to the American Athletic Conference First Team and was also a Philadelphia All-Big 5 First Team selection.
Just one point separated the second and third spots in the preseason poll. USF garnered one first place-vote and was picked third with 86 points. The Bullsreturn eight student-athletes, including three starters, from last year's 24-win team.
Tulane was chosen fourth in the preseason poll with 73 points. The Green Wavereturns three starters and nine letterwinners from last season's 23-win squad.
SMU (50 pts.), East Carolina (49 pts.) and Memphis (47 pts.) were picked fifth, sixth and seventh in the preseason poll, respectively. UCF (41 pts.), Tulsa (33 pts.), Cincinnati (23 pts.) and Houston (16 pts.) were tabbed eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th to round out the tallies.
UConn junior Kia Nurse was the preseason choice for American Player of the Year. Nurse, who was the only Husky to start every game last season, is a preseason all-conference first team selection along with teammate Katie Lou Samuelson, USF's Kitija Laska, Temple's Butts and Fitzgerald, and Tulane's Kolby Morgan. Butts was unanimously chosen to the team.
The 2016-17 campaign begins November 11, with conference play set to begin December 31. The 2017 American Women's Basketball Championship is slated for March 3-6 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
2016-17 American Women's Basketball Preseason Poll/Awards
Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
Team Points
1. UConn (10)* 100
2. Temple 87
3. USF (1) 86
4. Tulane 73
5. SMU 50
6. East Carolina 49
7. Memphis 47
8. UCF 41
9. Tulsa 33
10. Cincinnati 23
11. Houston 16
[*] denotes unanimous selection
Preseason Player of the Year
Kia Nurse, Jr., G, UConn
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Katie Lou Samuelson, So., G/F, UConn
Kia Nurse, Jr., G, UConn
Kitija Laska, So., F, USF
Alliya Butts, Jr., G, Temple*
Feyonda Fitzgerald, Sr., G, Temple
Kolby Morgan, Jr., G, Tulane
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Zykira Lewis, Sr., G, UCF
Napheesa Collier, So., F, UConn
Gabby Williams, Jr., G, UConn
Alicia Froling, Jr., F, SMU
Leslie Vorpahl, Sr., G, Tulane
[*] denotes unanimous selection
Ties are not broken; a tie in voting resulted in six players receiving first team honors
UConn was selected as the preseason favorite tallying 100 points and 10 of 11 first-place votes. The Huskies enter the season returning seven letterwinners and two starters from last year's squad that went an unblemished 38-0 (18-0 in the American) and won its fourth consecutive national championship.
Temple was picked to finish second with 87 points. The Owls, who reached the WNIT quarterfinals last season, return nine from last year's squad and welcome three newcomers in 2016-17.
Fitzgerald was second on the Owls in scoring last year, averaging 13.6 points per game. She led the team with 186 assists (5.3 per game), which ranks second in a single season at Temple. Named to the American Athletic Conference second team, she also earned Philadelphia All-Big 5 second team honors.
Last year, Butts led the Owls in scoring for a second-straight year, averaging 15.1 ppg and collecting a team-high 80 steals. She was named to the American Athletic Conference First Team and was also a Philadelphia All-Big 5 First Team selection.
Just one point separated the second and third spots in the preseason poll. USF garnered one first place-vote and was picked third with 86 points. The Bullsreturn eight student-athletes, including three starters, from last year's 24-win team.
Tulane was chosen fourth in the preseason poll with 73 points. The Green Wavereturns three starters and nine letterwinners from last season's 23-win squad.
SMU (50 pts.), East Carolina (49 pts.) and Memphis (47 pts.) were picked fifth, sixth and seventh in the preseason poll, respectively. UCF (41 pts.), Tulsa (33 pts.), Cincinnati (23 pts.) and Houston (16 pts.) were tabbed eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th to round out the tallies.
UConn junior Kia Nurse was the preseason choice for American Player of the Year. Nurse, who was the only Husky to start every game last season, is a preseason all-conference first team selection along with teammate Katie Lou Samuelson, USF's Kitija Laska, Temple's Butts and Fitzgerald, and Tulane's Kolby Morgan. Butts was unanimously chosen to the team.
The 2016-17 campaign begins November 11, with conference play set to begin December 31. The 2017 American Women's Basketball Championship is slated for March 3-6 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
2016-17 American Women's Basketball Preseason Poll/Awards
Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
Team
1. UConn (10)*
2. Temple
3. USF (1)
4. Tulane
5. SMU
6. East Carolina
7. Memphis
8. UCF
9. Tulsa
10. Cincinnati
11. Houston
[*] denotes unanimous selection
Preseason Player of the Year
Kia Nurse, Jr., G, UConn
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Katie Lou Samuelson, So., G/F, UConn
Kia Nurse, Jr., G, UConn
Kitija Laska, So., F, USF
Alliya Butts, Jr., G, Temple*
Feyonda Fitzgerald, Sr., G, Temple
Kolby Morgan, Jr., G, Tulane
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Zykira Lewis, Sr., G, UCF
Napheesa Collier, So., F, UConn
Gabby Williams, Jr., G, UConn
Alicia Froling, Jr., F, SMU
Leslie Vorpahl, Sr., G, Tulane
[*] denotes unanimous selection
Ties are not broken; a tie in voting resulted in six players receiving first team honors
Players Mentioned
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