ARLINGTON, Texas — The WAC released its 2024-25 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll and All-WAC Team and Utah Valley University was picked to finish eighth in a vote by the league's coaches. The conference is holding its WAC Preview Day on Wednesday, with UVU's women slated to begin at 10:30 a.m. MT on ESPN+ with Tahlia White and Danja Stafford Collins joining head coach Dan Nielson on the preview. 
 
The Wolverines return three of their top four scorers from last season's squad, including the top two scoring averages in White (8.2 ppg) and Kylee Mabry (8.0 ppg). Tessa Chaney also returns, coming off of a season that saw her average 6.6 points and a team-high 6.2 rebounds per game, as does senior leader Ally Criddle.
 
Utah Valley opens the season on Nov. 6 at home against former WAC foe Kansas City, now of the Summit League, in the UCCU Center. The Wolverines will play five of their first six games of the season at home. 
 
In a tight race at the top of the preseason poll, Grand Canyon and California Baptist were picked to finish first and second with just one point separating the teams. Both received four first-place votes with GCU landing in the top spot with 59 points. UT Arlington also received one first-place vote and sit in third while Abilene Christian, Southern Utah, Tarleton State, Utah Tech, UVU, and Seattle U round out the full poll.
 
Grand Canyon's Trinity San Antonio was voted as the Preseason Player of the Year and is joined on the Preseason All-WAC Team by Payton Hull, (ACU) Tiarra Brown (GCU), Daylani Ballena (SUU), and Avery Brittingham (UTA).
 
 
2024-25 WAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON HONORS
 
2024-25 WAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
 

Rank	Team (1st-Place Votes)	Points
1.	Grand Canyon (4)	59
2.	California Baptist (4)	58
3.	UT Arlington (1)	53
4.	Abilene Christian	37
5.	Southern Utah	33
6.	Tarleton State	28
7.	Utah Tech	24
8.	Utah Valley	17
9.	Seattle U	15

 
2024-25 WAC Preseason Player of the Year
Trinity San Antonio, Sr., G, Grand Canyon
 
2024-25 Preseason All-WAC Team
Payton Hull, So., G, Abilene Christian
Tiarra Brown, Gr., G/F, Grand Canyon
Trinity San Antonio, Sr., G, Grand Canyon
Daylani Ballena, Gr., G, Southern Utah
Avery Brittingham, 5th, F, UT Arlington