Womens Hoops Repeat Preseason No. 4 Prediction

Sooners preparing for exhibition games on Nov. 13 and Nov. 18

Norman, Okla. In a preseason Big 12 Conference Media Poll that was release today by the league office, the Oklahoma women's basketball team was tabbed to finish fourth in the conference race. Also mirroring the Big 12 Preseason Coaches prediction was the media All-Big 12 first team and individual player honors.

Texas was picked to win its second straight Big 12 title. The Longhorns received 17 first place votes for 215 points. Kansas State, who finished second in last year's conference race, was picked to finish second again with 193 points and one first place votes. Texas Tech was chosen third with 180 points, followed by OU with 162. Colorado is a preseason pick to finish fifth (133), while Baylor (125), Missouri (103), Iowa State (97), Kansas (62), Oklahoma State (61), Texas A&M (39) and Nebraska (34) rounds out the preseason rankings. In the coaches preseason poll, Texas A&M was chosen 12th while Nebraska was 11th.

Kansas State's Nicole Ohlde was chosen Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year for the second straight year. The 6-4 senior forward/center was Big 12 Player of the Year last year and a consensus All-America. Ohlde is joined on the preseason All-Big 12 team by her teammate Kendra Wecker, Texas' Stacy Stephens and Heather Schreiber, and Texas Tech's Jia Perkins. All four were first team all-conference selections at the conclusion of the 2003 season.

Oklahoma State's Elizangela Gomes was named preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, while Texas' Tiffany Jackson was selected preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year.

OU senior Caton Hill received votes for the preseason All-Big 12 team. Hill earned All-Big 12 second team honors in 2001 and third team merits in 2002. The Ada, Okla., native was also voted to the 2001 and 2002 NCAA All-West Regional teams. She returns to the Sooner program after an ACL injury sidelined the power forward four games into the 2002-03 campaign.

Oklahoma will play two exhibition games (Nov. 13 & Nov. 18) before hosting the Bertha Teague Classic in Oklahoma City at the Ford Center. Tulsa, Oral Roberts, Oklahoma State and OU will participate in the one day event starting at 12 p.m.

2003-04 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Media Preseason Poll

1. Texas (17) 215

2. Kansas State (1) 193

3. Texas Tech 180

4. Oklahoma 162

5. Colorado 133

6. Baylor 125

7. Missouri 103

8. Iowa State 97

9. Kansas 62

10. Oklahoma State 61

11. Texas A&M 39

12. Nebraska 34

(first place votes in parentheses; coaches not allowed to vote for own team)

2003-04 Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Media Preseason Team

Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Nicole Ohlde, Kansas State

Kendra Wecker, Kansas State

Stacy Stephens, Texas

Heather Schreiber, Texas horst

Jia Perkins, Texas Tech

(Others Receiving Votes: Jamie Carey, Texas; Caton Hill, Oklahoma; Tera Bjorklund, Colorado; Erin Grant, Texas Tech; Sophie Young, Baylor; Evan Unrau, Missouri)

Preseason Player of the Year:

Nicole Ohlde, Kansas State

Preseason Newcomer of the Year:

Elizangela Gomes, Oklahoma State

Preseason Freshman of the Year:

Tiffany Jackson, Texas