DALLAS - 25 days away from the start of the 2023-24 season, Conference USA unveiled its preseason awards and poll. For the first time, NM State will be competing as a member of the nine-team conference. Senior guard Molly Kaiser was one of 11 athletes to be named to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team. The Aggies were picked to finish sixth in the conference preseason poll, conducted by the conference's nine head coaches. 

 

2023-24 CUSA Women's Basketball Preseason Poll

1. Middle Tennessee (9) - 81

2. Western Kentucky - 59

3. Liberty - 59

4. LA Tech - 56

5. UTEP - 53

6. NM State - 32

7. FIU - 28

8. Jacksonville State - 24

9. Sam Houston - 13

 

2023-24 CUSA Women's Basketball All-Conference Honorees

• Tanajah Hayes, FIU

• Kaliah Henderson, FIU

• Emma Hess, Liberty

• Anna Larr Roberson, LA Tech

• Jalynn Gregory, MTSU

• Savannah Wheeler, MTSU*

• Courtney Whitson, MTSU

• Molly Kaiser, NM State

• Jane Asinde, UTEP

• Acacia Hayes, WKU

• Alexis Mead, WKU

*  - CUSA Preseason Player of the Year  

 

Molly Kaiser, the lone Aggie named to the team, will look to improve on an already impressive 2022-23 campaign. Kaiser started all 35 games a year ago, and averaged a team-high 13.0 points. The 5'8" guard led the Aggies with 2.0 assists per game and 82.0 percent free throw shooting, and is also second among returning members in rebounds with 107 (3.1 RPG). 

 

This season, the conference is expected to run through Middle Tennessee. All nine coaches unanimously selected MTSU to repeat as conference champions. Savannah Wheeler is likely to take a step forward, being named CUSA Preseason Player of the Year. The Lady Raiders won the CUSA regular-season and conference tournament championships in 2023. MTSU finished 28-5 overall and earned a win in 18 of 20 conference games. They toppled WKU 82-70 in the title game, hoisting the trophy for the second time in three seasons. WKU finished tied for second with new-to-CUSA Liberty in the 2023-24 preseason poll. 


The Aggies will begin their first season in CUSA on Nov. 6, hosting Arizona, the 2021 National Finalists. NM State's conference slate will tip off Jan. 6 at UTEP.

 

For complete coverage of NM State Women's Basketball, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateWBB), Instagram (@NMStateWBB) and like us on Facebook (NM State Women's Basketball). You can also follow along with Aggie Women's Basketball via NMStateSports.com.

 

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