One year ago, with future WNBA draft pick Alissa Pili spearheading an experienced team, the Utah women’s basketball team was the preseason favorite in the Pac-12.
This year, in the Utes’ first season in the Big 12, expectations are a bit different.
Utah is projected to finish sixth in the Big 12, according to the league’s preseason poll released Thursday that is voted on by coaches.
BYU, meanwhile, is predicted to finish 12th in its second year in the league.
Kansas State is the preseason favorite, edging out Iowa State both in total points (211 to 209) and first-place votes (7 to 6). Behind those two are Baylor, TCU and West Virginia, which round out the top 5 in the preseason poll.
The Utes are coming off their third straight season making the NCAA tournament, a year when Utah went 23-11 despite dealing with multiple injuries to key players. Utah advanced to the second round of the NCAAs.
Gone is the All-American Pili, though Utah will benefit from the return of guard Gianna Kneepkens, who missed most of last year after breaking multiple bones in her right foot in early December in a win over BYU.
Kneepkens — a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 honoree who has career averages of 14.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game — was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team released Thursday. She received a medical redshirt last season and will be a junior this year.
The 6-foot Kneepkens isn’t the only experienced player Utah has back, though. Forward Jenna Johnson and guards Kennady McQueen, Ines Vieira and Maty Wilke return, along with several role players. They’re joined by three freshman guards and transfer forwards Maye Toure and Chyra Evans.
The Cougars, meanwhile, are coming off a 16-17 season where they went 6-12 in league play and lost in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament.
BYU returns six players but will have quite a bit of roster turnover, as the Cougars will be without their two top scorers from last season in Lauren Gustin (graduation) and Kailey Woolston (LDS mission).
The Cougars do return three players who started 10 or more games last season in Amari Whiting, Emma Calvert and Lauren Davenport, and those players will be joined by a newcomer group that includes five freshmen and four transfers.
BYU and Utah will play twice this upcoming season — the Cougars will host the Utes in Provo on Jan. 25, followed by a game in Salt Lake City on March 1 in the regular-season finale for both teams.
2024-25 Big 12 women’s basketball preseason poll
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Kansas State (7 first-place votes), 211 points
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Iowa State (6), 209
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Baylor (2), 194
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TCU, 185
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West Virginia (1), 184
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Utah, 149
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Arizona, 136
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Kansas, 128
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Colorado, 113
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Texas Tech, 84
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Oklahoma State, 80
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BYU, 59
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Cincinnati, 56
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UCF, 54
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Arizona State, 51
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Houston, 27
2024-25 Big 12 preseason women’s basketball superlatives
Preseason Player of the Year: Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
Preseason Co-Newcomers of the Year: Aaronette Vonleh, Baylor and Hailey Van Lith, TCU
Preseason Freshman of the Year: Tabitha Betson, Colorado
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
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Sarah Andrews, Baylor
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Aaronette Vonleh, Baylor
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Kaitlin Peterson, UCF
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Audi Crooks, Iowa State*
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S’Mya Nichols, Kansas
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Ayoka Lee, Kansas State*
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Serena Sundell, Kansas State
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Hailey Van Lith, TCU
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Gianna Kneepkens, Utah
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JJ Quinerly, West Virginia*
*Indicates unanimous selection
