University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Women’s Basketball Tabbed 7th in Preseason Polls
10/29/2013 10:05:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Contact: Nick Ross
LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team was tabbed 7th in the preseason poll of Sun Belt coaches, and sophomore Keke Veal was named to the Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference second team as announced by the league offices.
"We're still taking it one step at a time," head coach Garry Brodhead said of the poll. "To be picked in the middle of the pack is a start. We are getting a little big of recognition because of some of the experience we have, and we feel we have some talent. It is going to take some time to make people believe."
UALR, last year's winner of the West Division, was selected to finish first, with 95 points and six total first place votes. The Cajuns received 43 points in the voting, three shy of South Alabama and ULM, who were tied for fifth.
The Ragin' Cajuns went 10-21 in 2012-13, but made a statement in the Sun Belt Championships, upsetting North Texas in double overtime in the first round, and nearly knocking off third-seeded WKU in the second round.
Veal, a sophomore from Opelousas, La., was the Cajuns' leading scorer last season, averaging 13.1 points a game as a freshman. She found her stride towards the end of the season, leading the Cajuns in nine of the last 13 games, including the last five, adding a 25-point game at UALR.
"It's exciting for one of our players to be named to the preseason all-conference team," Brodhead said. "I'm excited for [Veal]. She has to continue to work hard and improve her game though. It's the post-season awards that matter, but we hope that the recognition she is getting helps because it's well deserved."
The Cajuns open exhibition play Wednesday, Oct. 30 when they take on Loyola University at 7 p.m. at Earl K. Long Gymnasium. They open regular season play on Nov. 8, when Nebraska-Omaha comes to town for a 7 p.m. tip-off at the Cajundome.
Anyone who had a ticket to the Ragin' Cajuns football game on Nov. 7 against Troy can redeem that ticket at the Cajundome Box Office windoews for a free ticket to the Women's game on Nov. 8th.
"We are excited for November 8," Brodhead added. "We believe that it is a good gesture to [Coach Hudspeth] and his fans, to give them an opportunity to come to one of our games for free and to enjoy our first game."
Season tickets for Ragin' Cajuns Women's Basketball can be purchased by calling the Cajundome Ticket Office at (337) 265-2100, or by emailing Matt Casbon at mcasbon@cajundome.com. Ticket prices and information can be found here.
2013-14 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll
(first place votes)
1. UALR (6) - 95 points
2. WKU (4) - 92 points
3. Arkansas State - 82 points
4. Troy - 52 points
5. South Alabama - 46 points
5. UL-Monroe - 46 points
7. UL-Lafayette - 43 points
8. Georgia State - 41 points
9. Texas State - 39 points
10. UT Arlington - 14 points
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference First Team
Taylor Ford (UALR, Sr., G)
Taylor Gault (UALR, Jr., G)
Jane Morrill (Arkansas State, Sr., F)
Chastity Gooch (WKU, Jr., F)
Alexis Govan (WKU, Jr., G/F)
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Keke Veal (UL-Lafayette, So., G)
Ashleigh Simmons (UL-Monroe, Sr., F)
Ronneka Robertson (South Alabama, Sr., F)
Ashley Ezeh (Texas State, Sr., C)
Joanna Harden (Troy, Sr., G)
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Third Team
Jalen O'Bannon (Arkansas State, So., F)
Alexar Tugler (UL-Monroe, Sr., G)
Kendra Long (Georgia State, Sr., G)
Ashley Beverly-Kelley (Troy, So., G)
Bianca McGee (WKU, Sr., G)
Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Alexis Govan (WKU, Jr., G/F)
2013-14 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll
(first place votes)
1. UALR (6) - 95 points
2. WKU (4) - 92 points
3. Arkansas State - 82 points
4. Troy - 52 points
5. South Alabama - 46 points
5. UL-Monroe - 46 points
7. UL-Lafayette - 43 points
8. Georgia State - 41 points
9. Texas State - 39 points
10. UT Arlington - 14 points
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference First Team
Taylor Ford (UALR, Sr., G)
Taylor Gault (UALR, Jr., G)
Jane Morrill (Arkansas State, Sr., F)
Chastity Gooch (WKU, Jr., F)
Alexis Govan (WKU, Jr., G/F)
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Keke Veal (UL-Lafayette, So., G)
Ashleigh Simmons (UL-Monroe, Sr., F)
Ronneka Robertson (South Alabama, Sr., F)
Ashley Ezeh (Texas State, Sr., C)
Joanna Harden (Troy, Sr., G)
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Third Team
Jalen O'Bannon (Arkansas State, So., F)
Alexar Tugler (UL-Monroe, Sr., G)
Kendra Long (Georgia State, Sr., G)
Ashley Beverly-Kelley (Troy, So., G)
Bianca McGee (WKU, Sr., G)
Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Alexis Govan (WKU, Jr., G/F)
2013-14 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll
(first place votes)
1. UALR (6) - 95 points
2. WKU (4) - 92 points
3. Arkansas State - 82 points
4. Troy - 52 points
5. South Alabama - 46 points
5. UL-Monroe - 46 points
7. UL-Lafayette - 43 points
8. Georgia State - 41 points
9. Texas State - 39 points
10. UT Arlington - 14 points
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference First Team
Taylor Ford (UALR, Sr., G)
Taylor Gault (UALR, Jr., G)
Jane Morrill (Arkansas State, Sr., F)
Chastity Gooch (WKU, Jr., F)
Alexis Govan (WKU, Jr., G/F)
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Keke Veal (UL-Lafayette, So., G)
Ashleigh Simmons (UL-Monroe, Sr., F)
Ronneka Robertson (South Alabama, Sr., F)
Ashley Ezeh (Texas State, Sr., C)
Joanna Harden (Troy, Sr., G)
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Third Team
Jalen O'Bannon (Arkansas State, So., F)
Alexar Tugler (UL-Monroe, Sr., G)
Kendra Long (Georgia State, Sr., G)
Ashley Beverly-Kelley (Troy, So., G)
Bianca McGee (WKU, Sr., G)
Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Alexis Govan (WKU, Jr., G/F)
2013-14 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll
(first place votes)
1. UALR (6) - 95 points
2. WKU (4) - 92 points
3. Arkansas State - 82 points
4. Troy - 52 points
5. South Alabama - 46 points
5. UL-Monroe - 46 points
7. UL-Lafayette - 43 points
8. Georgia State - 41 points
9. Texas State - 39 points
10. UT Arlington - 14 points
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference First Team
Taylor Ford (UALR, Sr., G)
Taylor Gault (UALR, Jr., G)
Jane Morrill (Arkansas State, Sr., F)
Chastity Gooch (WKU, Jr., F)
Alexis Govan (WKU, Jr., G/F)
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Keke Veal (UL-Lafayette, So., G)
Ashleigh Simmons (UL-Monroe, Sr., F)
Ronneka Robertson (South Alabama, Sr., F)
Ashley Ezeh (Texas State, Sr., C)
Joanna Harden (Troy, Sr., G)
Sun Belt Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Third Team
Jalen O'Bannon (Arkansas State, So., F)
Alexar Tugler (UL-Monroe, Sr., G)
Kendra Long (Georgia State, Sr., G)
Ashley Beverly-Kelley (Troy, So., G)
Bianca McGee (WKU, Sr., G)
Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Alexis Govan (WKU, Jr., G/F)
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
