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Middle Tennessee has been picked to repeat as Conference USA women's basketball champion in a preseason vote of the league's head coaches. Senior forward Chastity Gooch of C-USA newcomer WKU has been tabbed the league's Preseason Player of the Year.

MT posted a 29-5 overall record and earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. Representing Middle Tennessee on the preseason team is 2014 Conference USA Freshman of the Year Olivia Jones.

WKU was picked second and totaled a league-best three players on the preseason squad, led by two-time Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year Gooch. The senior forward led the Sun Belt in rebounds for the second consecutive season with 9.4 rpg in 2014, while leading the Lady Toppers in scoring with 18.4 ppg.

Florida Atlantic, who is in the rebuilding process after graduating a large portion of their roster, was tabbed to finish 13th overall. The Owls will have 10 underclassmen, six of which are true freshman, taking the floor this year.


2014-15 Preseason C-USA Women's Basketball Poll

1. Middle Tennessee (6) - 181 points

2. WKU (5) - 179 points

3. Southern Miss (1) - 163 points

4. UTEP (1) - 154 points

5. Charlotte - 132 points

6. Old Dominion - 116 points

7. Louisiana Tech - 105 points

8. UAB - 104 points

t9. North Texas - 70 points

t9. UTSA (1) - 70 points

11. FIU - 61 points

12. Rice - 58 points

13. Florida Atlantic - 45 points

14. Marshall - 32 points

(#) - designates first-place votes