UAPB women 11 of 12 in poll

With a new head coach starting from scratch, the rest of the SWAC isn’t expecting much from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team this season.

UAPB was picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the SWAC preseason poll, the league announced Thursday. The league’s head coaches and sports information directors voted in the poll.

This will be the debut season for new UAPB Head Coach Erica Leak, who was hired in the spring after Dawn Thornton departed for the same job at Alabama A&M. With virtually the entire roster entering the transfer portal, Leak has had to rebuild the roster almost from nothing.

The lack of known talent is reflected in the preseason all-SWAC teams, which do not include any Lady Lions. Former UAPB player Coriah Beck, who joined Thornton at Alabama A&M, was named to the preseason first team.

Beck is joined on the first team by preseason offensive player of the year Destiny Brown of Alcorn State, defensive player of the year Alisha Wilson of Alabama A&M, Cordasia Harris of Alabama State, and Sh’Diamond McKnight of Mississippi Valley State.

Grambling State was picked as the SWAC favorite, receiving 10 first-place votes. Southern was picked second, while Thornton’s Lady Bulldogs were picked third.

Jackson State, which has dominated the SWAC in recent years, was picked fourth following the departure of Head Coach Tomekia Reed after six seasons.

Florida A&M, Prairie View A&M, Alcorn State, Bethune-Cookman, Texas Southern and Alabama State round out the teams picked ahead of UAPB. Only MVSU was picked to finish below the Lady Lions.