Great American Conference women’s basketball coaches are forecasting that the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns will shine the brightest during the 2015-16 season.
Arkansas Tech University received 10 first-place votes and 120 points in the GAC preseason women’s basketball poll to emerge as the clear favorite to win the 2015-16 Great American Conference championship.
Perennial antagonists Harding University (2nd, 103 points, two first-place votes) and Southwestern Oklahoma State University (3rd, 92 points) are viewed as the Golden Suns’ top competition inside the GAC in 2015-16. Close behind are the University of Arkansas-Monticello (4th, 91 points) and Southeastern Oklahoma State University (5th, 89 points).
The 2015-16 GAC women’s basketball preseason poll is completed by Henderson State University (6th, 51 points), Ouachita Baptist University (7th, 50 points), Northwestern Oklahoma State University (8th, 49 points), Oklahoma Baptist University (9th, 47 points), East Central University (10th, 42 points), Southern Arkansas University (11th, 37 points) and Southern Nazarene University (12th, 21 points).
The Golden Suns were 23-7 overall and regular season co-champion of the Great American Conference during the 2014-15 season. Arkansas Tech earned an at-large bid to the 2015 NCAA Division II Tournament.
Dave Wilbers will be in his ninth season as head women’s basketball coach at Tech this winter. The Golden Suns return their top three scorers from a year ago — senior forward Fatima Adams (21.7 points per game), junior guard Anissa Pounds (13.2 points per game) and senior guard Katrina Hayden (9.8 points per game).
The first Arkansas Tech women’s basketball regular season game of the 2015-16 season is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, when the Golden Suns will host Lane College for a 1 p.m. contest at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville.
