The Southeastern Conference coaches picked the Kentucky as the team to beat in a pre-season poll released by the league on Tuesday morning.
Kentucky was tabbed as the team to beat and star senior A’dia Mathies was selected as pre-season Player of the Year. Sophomore guard Bria Goss, last year’s SEC Freshman of the Year, and junior forward Samarie Walker were voted onto the second team.
The sixth-ranked Cats, who return 10 letter winners and four starters from last season’s regular-season SEC champions. UK advanced to the Elite Eight before falling to Connecticut last season.
The coaches’ projected order of finish: Kentucky, Georgia, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisiana State, Florida, Arkansas, Auburn, Mississippi State, Alabama, Missouri and Ole Miss.
Players are listed below:
First Team All-SEC
Sarah Watkins, Arkansas
Jennifer George, Florida
Anne Marie Armstrong, Georgia
Jasmine Hassell, Georgia
A’dia Mathies, Kentucky
Meighan Simmons, Tennessee
Kelsey Bone, Texas A&M
Christina Foggie, Vanderbilt
Jasmine Lister, Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
Jasmine James, Georgia
Bria Goss, Kentucky
Samarie Walker, Kentucky
Adrienne Webb, LSU
Valencia McFarland, Ole Miss
Ieasia Walker, South Carolina
Ariel Massengale, Tennessee
Tiffany Clarke, Vanderbilt
