NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference released its Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll on Monday afternoon and Old Dominion has been picked to finish third. The poll was voted on by the league's 14 head coaches.
The Monarchs received 167 points in the poll and are coming off a 2023-24 season that saw them reach the Sun Belt Championship semifinals and make a WNIT appearance for the second time in the past three years. James Madison was voted the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt with 12 first-place votes and 191 points while Troy was picked just ahead of ODU with two first-place votes and 169 points. JMU’s Peyton McDaniel was voted Preseason Player of the Year.
En’Dya Buford earned a spot on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team and newcomer Kelsey Thompson landed on the Third Team. Buford was voted to the All-Conference Third Team last season after leading the Monarchs in scoring with 360 points (12.4 ppg) and three-point field goals made (40). Thompson, a transfer from South Alabama, was the leading scorer for the Jaguars with 335 points (12.0 ppg). She also owned the team highs in free throws made (88) and assists (68).
“Recognition is always a great thing to get for your program and its players. Being picked third is a testament to the great recruiting and coaching being done within our program. Having En’Dya and Kelsey get second and third team honors speaks volumes towards the body of work they displayed within the Sun Belt Conference,” said ODU Head Coach DeLisha Milton-Jones.
The Monarchs bring back four players from last season and add 10 newcomers for Coach Milton-Jones’ fifth season at ODU and the program’s third in the Sun Belt since rejoining the league in 2022. Not counting the shortened 2020-21 season due to COVID, the program has amassed 20 or more wins in five-straight seasons.
ODU will host Christopher Newport for a 2 p.m. exhibition game on Sunday, Oct. 27 and will open the season at Ball State on Monday, Nov. 4 in the first round of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Tipoff against the Cardinals is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Season Tickets Available Now
Men's and women's basketball season tickets for the upcoming 2024-25 season are available now at odusports.com/basketball-season-tickets.
Men's basketball season tickets cost $217 covering all 16 of ODU’s regular season home contests. Women's basketball season tickets cost $115 for adults and include tickets to all 16 of the Monarchs' home games including the exhibition on October 27. Discounted season ticket rates are available for ODU faculty and staff, ODU letterwinners, young alumni, band and spirit parents and military. Fans also have the option for mini-plans which consist of six men’s games for $84 and six women’s games for $42. Single-game tickets will go on sale starting on October 16. Call the ODU Ticket Office at 757-683-4444 for more information.
2024 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison, R-Jr., G
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Emily Carver, App State, Sr., G
Aislynn Hayes, Marshall, Sr., G
Crystal Henderson, Georgia State, So., G
Jakayla Johnson, ULM, Sr., G
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison, R-Jr., G
Mikyla Tolivert, Georgia State, Sr., G
*Ties were not broken
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
En’Dya Buford, Old Dominion, Gr., G
Melyia Grayson, Southern Miss, 5th Yr., C
Jaylyn James, Louisiana, Jr., G
Kseniia Kozlova, James Madison, R-Sr., C
Katlyn Manuel, ULM, Sr., F
Shaulana Wagner, Troy, Sr., G
*Ties were not broken
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Ramsey Alancia, Coastal Carolina, So., F
Zay Dyer, Troy, Jr., F
Anna Griffin, Arkansas State, Sr., G
Kelsey Thompson, Old Dominion, Jr., G
Ro Scott, James Madison, Gr., G
2024 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- James Madison (12) – 191
- Troy (2) – 169
- Old Dominion - 167
- ULM - 150
- Louisiana - 122
- Marshall - 118
- Southern Miss - 113
- Georgia State - 107
- Coastal Carolina - 77
- Texas State - 67
- App State - 61
- Georgia Southern - 53
- Arkansas State - 50
- South Alabama - 25
*Parentheses indicate first-place votes