Kelly Named to Preseason Summit League Second Team
Oct 7, 2014 | Women's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha women's basketball team was picked to finish eighth in the Summit League Preseason Poll released on Tuesday. Additionally, senior center Taijhe Kelly was selected to the Preseason All-Summit League second team.
The league's head coaches, sports information directors, and media voted on the preseason honors.
The Mavericks collected 165 points to edge out ninth place North Dakota State by seven points.
Omaha returns four starters – Kelly, Lanese Bough, Mikaela Shaw, and Madi Robson – along with four other players from last year's team. The Mavericks also brought in three freshmen and a transfer to round out this season's team.
South Dakota State was selected to capture the 2014-15 Summit League women's basketball championship after winning its third consecutive regular season title a year ago. The Jackrabbits collected 27-of-32 first-place votes and 513 points.
South Dakota, last season's tournament champion, earned four first-place votes and 420 points to place second in the poll. Regular season runner-up IUPUI was in third place followed by Western Illinois in fourth with the final first-place tally. Denver, which finished second at the tournament a year ago, came in fifth while Fort Wayne placed sixth. Oral Roberts, which returns to the league for the first time since 2011-12.
Western Illinois' Ashley Luke was tabbed as the preseason Player of the Year. Luke was named to The Summit League First Team and All-Tournament Team last season while averaging 20.8 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Other First Team All-League players were North Dakota State's Brooke LeMar, IUPUI's Nevena Markovic, South Dakota's Nicole Seekamp, Fort Wayne's Haley Seibert, and South Dakota State's Megan Waytashek.
Kelly earned second-team honors after being named the Summit League's Defensive Player of the Year honors last season. The senior averaged 9.8 points per game and3.5 blocks per game. Joining Kelly on the second team were Denver's Paige Bradley, South Dakota's Raeshel Contreras, Tia Hemiller, and Western Illinois' Michelle Maher.
Omaha opens the season on Thursday, Nov. 6 with an exhibition against Rockhurst University (Mo.) at the Sapp Fieldhouse at 7:00 p.m.
