Preseason All-America Teams

[bballnut90]

Here's my guess:
1st Team:
Breanna Stewart
KML
Jewel Loyd
Tiffany Mitchell
Elizabeth Williams

2nd Team:
Isabelle Harrison
Alisha Gray-UNC
Courtney Walker-A&M
Brittany Boyd-Cal
Samantha Logic-Iowa


3rd Team:
Nina Davis-Baylor
Alaina Coates-USC
Moriah Jefferson-UCONN
Bria Holmes-West Virginia
Ariel Massengale-Tennessee

Let me first say it was a struggle to name 15 players for this list.....a very good senior class has graduated and the cupboard is unproven compared to years past. I would not be surprised to see lots of parity in regards to All-Americans, and see many freshmen, sophomores, and juniors on this list. No shockers on 1st Team All-Americans. I think Gray will step up and UNC still be a strong team next year without DeShields. Jefferson could be a 2nd Team All-American or even a 1st Teamer next year, but I doubt her stats (aka scoring) will be high enough compared to some other options, similar to this season where she could've been an All-American but was overlooked due to stats and overshadowed by teammates. Hopefully several diamonds in the rough emerge next year and shake this up a bit.

 

[Sonny44]

Moriah will be 1st or 2nd team.
Kiah, maybe 3rd.

 

[slug25]

Here's my guess:
1st Team:
Breanna Stewart
KML
Jewel Loyd
Tiffany Mitchell
Elizabeth Williams

2nd Team:
Isabelle Harrison
Alisha Gray-UNC
Courtney Walker-A&M
Brittany Boyd-Cal
Samantha Logic-Iowa


3rd Team:
Nina Davis-Baylor
Alaina Coates-USC
Moriah Jefferson-UCONN
Bria Holmes-West Virginia
Ariel Massengale-Tennessee

Let me first say it was a struggle to name 15 players for this list.....a very good senior class has graduated and the cupboard is unproven compared to years past. I would not be surprised to see lots of parity in regards to All-Americans, and see many freshmen, sophomores, and juniors on this list. No shockers on 1st Team All-Americans. I think Gray will step up and UNC still be a strong team next year without DeShields. Jefferson could be a 2nd Team All-American or even a 1st Teamer next year, but I doubt her stats (aka scoring) will be high enough compared to some other options, similar to this season where she could've been an All-American but was overlooked due to stats and overshadowed by teammates. Hopefully several diamonds in the rough emerge next year and shake this up a bit.

What exactly has Elizabeth Williams done to warrant first team All-American recognition? If EW were at UCONN at her current level of development, Kia Stokes would still be our starting center and EW would be leading the high fives after three pointers.

 

[connboy77]

What exactly has Elizabeth Williams done to warrant first team All-American recognition? If EW were at UCONN at her current level of development, Kia Stokes would still be our starting center and EW would be leading the high fives after three pointers.

When E. Williams entered college, KML and her were the two best freshmen in the country. Even if injuries hadn't slowed her down, I'm not sure she would be the best center in the country. At best Williams is top five!

 

[meyers7]

What exactly has Elizabeth Williams done to warrant first team All-American recognition?

Let me first say it was a struggle to name 15 players for this list.....a very good senior class has graduated and the cupboard is unproven compared to years past.

Slug, that's pretty much it. Williams is a senior and there aren't too many options. A pretty weak senior class.

 

[Kibitzer]

I would go with Stewie (a given), Kaleena (another given), Jewell Loyd (another), Moriah (deserving but she would exceed the UConn "quota" that is embedded in the minds of voters), and one of the hotshots from Tennessee or Duke (for some semblance of geographical balance).

 

[DishNSwish]

Crystal Bradford, Central Michigan
Jillian Alleyne, Oregon
Rashanda Gray, Cal
Sara Hammond, Louisville
Tyler Scaife, Rutgers
Lexi Brown, Maryland

 

[trisailin]

Can somebody explain the logic of a pre-season poll?
As far as I know, none of the athletes mentioned have played one second of 2014/2015 NCAA basketball.
At best, pre-season polling is "entertainment", though I imagine what it really does is unnecessarily stack the situation against some very good players. I suspect it inadvertently promotes "group think" amongst voters.

 

[iamcbs]

I would go with Stewie (a given), Kaleena (another given), Jewell Loyd (another), Moriah (deserving but she would exceed the UConn "quota" that is embedded in the minds of voters), and one of the hotshots from Tennessee or Duke (for some semblance of geographical balance).

MoJet is deserving of 1st Team consideration, but there are 2 things in her way. One as you so aptly stated is the obvious UConn Quota, which includes the EC Bias and the NCAA Requirement that at least 1 player from Duke be an AA deserving or not, the 2nd is that in the Huskies system, she probably won't put up the scoring numbers that some other guards will have. That shouldn't matter but it does to the voters.

 

[iamcbs]

Can somebody explain the logic of a pre-season poll?
As far as I know, none of the athletes mentioned have played one second of 2014/2015 NCAA basketball.
At best, pre-season polling is "entertainment", though I imagine what it really does is unnecessarily stack the situation against some very good players. I suspect it inadvertently promotes "group think" amongst voters.

They give the Mags and their writers something to do during the off-season and drives traffic on Message Boards. Fans get to bitch, moan and complain about how their favorite teams and players get no respect and it puts the fake chip on the shoulder of players who think they're being snubbed. Like that knob Julius Randle in last night's NBA Draft. How can you be upset about being a lottery pick, when the best player on the team that beat you in the NC Game went 24th?

 

[sivad40]

Duke's Alexis Jones should make one of these teams if she's fully recovered from her acl injury. I predict whoever is the star player for Stanford will make one of these teams too.

 

[meyers7]

Can somebody explain the logic of a pre-season poll?

No, but that's not going to keep many publications from doing them. I guess the logic could be considered $ $ $.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Can somebody explain the logic of a pre-season poll?
As far as I know, none of the athletes mentioned have played one second of 2014/2015 NCAA basketball.
At best, pre-season polling is "entertainment", though I imagine what it really does is unnecessarily stack the situation against some very good players. I suspect it inadvertently promotes "group think" amongst voters.

Preseason polls are done in every single sport. It is an estimate of where teams are, based on what they lost, what they return, and what they are bringing in.

How does it "stack" the situation against very good players? You make it sound as if the preseason poll determines the end-of-the-year polls and honors, without consideration of the entire season in-between.

 

[BlueDevils]

Moriah will be 1st or 2nd team.
Kiah, maybe 3rd.

Kiah will NOT make an AA team. Although, I expect her to have a much improved season I'm just not ready to say she'll be AA over Williams, Coates, and Harrison. I think Liz numbers will make her a first team this year because she'll be the focal point of the offense until Alexis Jones returns (if she doesn't redshirt). I'm very confident in saying if Alexis Jones wasn't hurt she would be a first team AA. Injury puts her a little behind Mo and Loyd now.

 

[BlueDevils]

When E. Williams entered college, KML and her were the two best freshmen in the country. Even if injuries hadn't slowed her down, I'm not sure she would be the best center in the country. At best Williams is top five!

Please name me 4 centers better than Williams. Harrison can make an argument and that's about it... If you're going to say Stokes please come with something more than a freshman game three years ago.

 

[connboy77]

Kiah will NOT make an AA team. Although, I expect her to have a much improved season I'm just not ready to say she'll be AA over Williams, Coates, and Harrison. I think Liz numbers will make her a first team this year because she'll be the focal point of the offense until Alexis Jones returns (if she doesn't redshirt). I'm very confident in saying if Alexis Jones wasn't hurt she would be a first team AA. Injury puts her a little behind Mo and Loyd now.

Kiah is a better defensive center then any of the three centers you mentioned. Hopefully, she will work on her offense this summer. If Kiah improves her offense enough she will make one of the all-american teams.

 

[connboy77]

Please name me 4 centers better than Williams. Harrison can make an argument and that's about it... If you're going to say Stokes please come with something more than a freshman game three years ago.

As I replied to you above, Kiah is the best defensive center in the country. All she needs to do is improve her offense and she will be an all-american.

 

[BlueDevils]

Kiah is a better defensive center then any of the three centers you mentioned. Hopefully, she will work on her offense this summer. If Kiah improves her offense enough she will make one of the all-american teams.

Elizabeth Williams is a 3 time ACC defensive player of the year...

 

[BlueDevils]

As I replied to you above, Kiah is the best defensive center in the country. All she needs to do is improve her offense and she will be an all-american.

What defensive awards has Kiah won? She has great defensive intangibles, but its absurd to discredit a player whose won three defensive player awards in their conference for a role playing center. Hopefully, for uconn fans, she'll show she's the best defensive center this year with more playing time.

 

[connboy77]

What defensive awards has Kiah won? She has great defensive intangibles, but its absurd to discredit a player whose won three defensive player awards in their conference for a role playing center. Hopefully, for uconn fans, she'll show she's the best defensive center this year with more playing time.

Kiah has helped UCONN win the last two NC'S with her defensive presence. I think that is worth a lot more then winning conference defensive player awards! Kiah is the best defensive center in the country. Very few players will challenge her in the paint. Blocked shots, rebounds, etc!

 

[BlueDevils]

Kiah has helped UCONN win the last two NC'S with her defensive presence. I think that is worth a lot more then winning conference defensive player awards! Kiah is the best defensive center in the country. Very few players will challenge her in the paint. Blocked shots, rebounds, etc!

No other way to put it then saying no she isn't. Jordan Madden and Haden defensive presence helped Baylor win their championship along with Brookyln Pope aggressive nature. So from your logic I guess its safe to say Madden and Haden where the best off ball defenders that year, along with Pope as the most aggressive player that year?

 

[BlueDevils]

Kiah has helped UCONN win the last two NC'S with her defensive presence. I think that is worth a lot more then winning conference defensive player awards! Kiah is the best defensive center in the country. Very few players will challenge her in the paint. Blocked shots, rebounds, etc!

Oh and the year Texas Am won it was mainly because Danielle Adams scoring. I think its safe to say, from your logic, she was a better scorer than Maya Moore no matter what awards Maya has won.

 

[Orangutan]

Can somebody explain the logic of a pre-season poll?
As far as I know, none of the athletes mentioned have played one second of 2014/2015 NCAA basketball.
At best, pre-season polling is "entertainment", though I imagine what it really does is unnecessarily stack the situation against some very good players. I suspect it inadvertently promotes "group think" amongst voters.

That's all it is. Entertainment value. Also helps casual fans know who the best players are projected to be.

"It says here in the program that #3 for the other team is a pre-season All-American. I better keep an eye on her."

 

[connboy77]

Oh and the year Texas Am won it was mainly because Danielle Adams scoring. I think its safe to say, from your logic, she was a better scorer than Maya Moore no matter what awards Maya has won.

Now you are making a ridiculous comparison. The bottom line is that Kiah shows up in big games while some other players that you mentioned don't.

 

[Vowelguy]

Moriah will be 1st or 2nd team.
Kiah, maybe 3rd.

Kiah will not be preseason 3rd team.