AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas women’s basketball team slid in at No. 2 behind the defending national champions in the Southeastern Conference preseason poll voted on by media members released Monday.
Texas sophomore Madison Booker, named an All-American as a freshman last season, finished as part of a three-way tie for preseason player of the year. Louisiana State’s Flau’Jae Johnson and Aneesha Morrow were also named preseason players of the year.
South Carolina was picked to win the SEC crown, returning four starters from last year’s national title-winning squad. Te-Hina Paopao was named to the preseason first team while Raven Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley were on the second team.
For the Longhorns, point guard Rori Harmon was named to the second team. She’ll rejoin the team at some point this season after her season-ending knee injury last year.
MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters
LSU followed Texas in the predicted order of finish. Oklahoma and Mississippi rounded out the top five, followed by Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida and Vanderbilt.
Texas, an Elite Eight team last season, officially starts the season Nov. 10 at home against Southeast Missouri State. They’ll play an exhibition game Oct. 31 at home against UT-Tyler.
The preseason Associated Press Top 25 women’s poll comes out at noon Tuesday.