BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball was selected to finish seventh in the Southeastern Conference by a select panel of SEC and national media members in the preseason poll released on Tuesday. Robin Pingeton’s squad received 165 total points for the highest preseason ranking the program has notched since joining the SEC. On Wednesday, the SEC Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll will be released.

Mizzou has recorded three straight winning seasons for the first time since 1987-90. With 19 victories in 2014-15, the Tigers posted the highest win total for the program since the 2005-06 campaign. Mizzou advanced to the quarterfinals of the WNIT, and the two postseason victories were the most for the program since 2002-03.

Last season, Mizzou led the SEC in field goal percentage defense (35.1) and defensive rebounds per game (29.0), ranking 12th and 17th in the nation in those respective categories. The Tigers also led the SEC with 249 baskets from 3-point range, which was 49 more than any other team in the league and good for an average of 7.5 per game, ranking 31st nationally. The 2015 recruiting class was ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation by Prospects Nation, marking the highest ranking in team history and includes the program’s first McDonald’s All-American.

South Carolina was picked by the media to win the conference with 265 points, edging second-place Tennessee with 248 points. Senior guard Tiffany Mitchell of South Carolina was selected to repeat as SEC Player of the Year.

SEC MEDIA PRESEASON POLL
1. South Carolina 265
2. Tennessee 248
3. Mississippi State 215
4. Texas A&M 207
5. Kentucky 205
6. Ole Miss 169
7. Missouri 165
8. Arkansas 138
9. Georgia 128
10. LSU 128
11. Vanderbilt 80
12. Florida 78
13. Auburn 65
14. Alabama 34

— Mizzou Athletics —