NEW ORLEANS – James Madison is the preseason favorite to capture to the 2023-24 Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball title, as determined by a vote of the league’s 14 head coaches. Southern Miss’ Domonique Davis was also selected as the 2023-24 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year to lead the league’s preseason honors announced on Monday.
The reigning Sun Belt Conference champion Dukes received nine first-place votes. Troy, coming off a 17-13 season in 2022-23, was picked second and earned three first place votes while 2022-23 Sun Belt Conference regular season co-champion Southern Miss was picked third with one first place vote.
James Madison is coming off a 26-8 (13-5 SBC) season that saw the Dukes capture the Sun Belt Championship Tournament title and earn an NCAA Tournament berth, the program’s first since the 2015-16 season. The Dukes return eight from their championship squad a year ago, including 2023 Sun Belt Sixth Woman of the Year, Peyton McDaniel.
Southern Miss guard Domonique Davis was selected as the 2023-24 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. Davis was a First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection and Gilom Trophy finalist in 2022-23. The guard from DeRidder, La., enjoyed a career year last season, setting personal bests in almost every statistical category after appearing in 30 games and making 29 starts. Davis scored a career-best and team-leading 541 points to average 18.0 points per game a year ago, a mark that ranked third in the conference. She also finished in double-figure scoring in 27 contests, crossing the 20-point margin 13 times.
The Sun Belt Conference also announced its Preseason All-Sun Belt First, Second and Third teams (listed below) on Monday.
Preseason All-Sun Belt First-Team selections include Davis, Georgia Southern’s Terren Ward, Arkansas State’s Izzy Higginbottom, Troy’s Makayia Hallmon, and Marshall's Roshala Scott.
Sun Belt Conference play begins on Saturday, Dec. 30. Teams will play an 18-game regular-season conference schedule with games being played primarily on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The final day of the conference regular season will be Friday, March 1.
The season will culminate with the 2024 Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Championship at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla. from Tuesday, March 5 to Monday, March 11. All games will air on ESPN+ with the title tilt broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
2023-24 Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison (9) - 186
2. Troy (3) - 177
3. Southern Miss (1) - 159
4. Old Dominion - 149
5. Georgia Southern (1) - 131
6. Louisiana - 117
7. Texas State - 116
8. Arkansas State - 87
9. Marshall - 85
10. Coastal Carolina - 72
11. ULM - 71
12. App State - 54
13. Georgia State - 46
14. South Alabama – 20
2023-24 Women’s Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Domonique Davis, Southern Miss [SR | G | DeRidder, La.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Domonique Davis, Southern Miss [SR | G | DeRidder, La.]
Terren Ward, Georgia Southern [SR | G | Jesup, Ga.]
Izzy Higginbottom, Arkansas State [JR | G | Batesville, Ark.]
Makayia Hallmon, Troy [SR | G | Coushatta, La.]
Roshala Scott, Marshall [SR | G | Earle, Ark.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison [R-SO | G | Birdsboro, Pa.]
Ja’Mia Hollings, Troy [SR | F | West Point, Miss.]
Lanay Wheaton, Louisiana [JR | G | Hope, Ark.]
Kseniia Kozlova, James Madison [R-JR | C | Moscow, Russia]
Tai’Sheka Porchia, Troy [SR | F | Camden, Ark.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Deaja Richardson, Coastal Carolina [GR | G | Kernersville, N.C.]
Emily Carver, App State [JR | G | Asheville, N.C]
Daisha “Nunu” Bradford, ULM [SR | G | Mobile, Ala.]
Mikyla Tolivert, Georgia State [JR | G | Melbourne, Fla.]
Kelsey Thompson, South Alabama [SO | G | Mobile, Ala.]