Beverly-Kelley Earns All-Sun Belt Preseason; Troy Women Picked Fifth

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – Troy women's basketball junior guard Ashley Beverly-Kelley was named to the All-Sun Belt Preseason first team, the league office announced on Wednesday. The league also released the Preseason Coaches' Poll with Troy picked to finish fifth.

Beverly-Kelley, an Adamsville, Ala., native, averaged 13.2 points per game last season. That was good for ninth in the Sun Belt and third among returning players in 2014-15. The 5-foot-6 guard scored in double figures 19 times a year ago, including 20-plus in seven games. Beverly-Kelley's 771 points over her freshman and sophomore seasons are the most by any player in Troy's Division I history (1993-present).

She posted a team-high 105 assists and averaged 3.5 assists/game, the fifth best mark in the Sun Belt a year ago. Beverly-Kelley also led Troy with 51 steals and 1.7 steals/game, the sixth best mark in the league. She also ranked in the conference's top 10 in free throw percentage (.840) and 3-point percentage (.364). Beverly-Kelley's current .812 career free throw percentage would be the best in school history.

Beverly-Kelley helped Troy average a Sun Belt best 80.4 points per game a season ago, a mark that ranked 15^th in the nation. In just their second year in head coach Chanda Rigby's fast-paced system, the Trojans became the second Sun Belt team since 2000 to average 80-plus points per game.

That scoring average led the Trojans to a 12-18 overall record and an 8-10 Sun Belt record, good for a fifth place finish in standings, which is where the Trojans are picked to finish again. Troy is picked behind Arkansas State, UALR, Texas State and Georgia State, respectively.

The Trojans will see their first action of the season on Thursday, November 6, when UAH visits for an exhibition game at 5:15 p.m. at Trojan Arena. The game will part of a doubleheader, with the Troy men hosting West Florida in an exhibition at 7:30 p.m.

The Troy women will open their regular season on Friday, November 14, at Auburn before traveling to Clemson for a November 16 game. The Trojans will play their home opener on Friday, November 21, when Southeastern Louisiana visits Trojan Arena for a game scheduled to tip off at 12 p.m.

For more information on Troy women's basketball, follow the Trojans on Twitter (@TroyWomensBball) and Instagram (@TroyWBB). For more information on Troy Athletics, visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can also find Troy on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube by searching for Troy Ahtletics.

All-SBC Preseason First Team
Aundrea Gamble (Arkansas State, RS-Junior, Guard)
Taylor Gault (UALR, Senior, Guard)
Ashley Beverly-Kelley (Troy, Junior, Guard)
Maryah Sydnor (Appalachian State, Senior, Forward)
Erin Peoples (Texas State, Junior, Guard)

All-SBC Preseason Second Team
Hanna Qedan (Arkansas State, RS-Senior, Guard)
Keke Veal (UL Lafayette, Junior, Guard)
Brittany Logan (Georgia State, Senior, Center)
Anna Claire Knight (Georgia Southern, Senior, Guard)
Kiera Clark (UALR, Senior, Forward)

All-SBC Preseason Third Team
Breanna Hall (South Alabama, Senior, Guard)
Alisha Andrews (Georgia State, Senior, Guard)
Ayriel Anderson (Texas State, Junior, Guard)
Kia Wilridge (UL Lafayette, Junior, Guard)
Rachel Cumbo (South Alabama, Junior, Guard)

Preseason Player of the Year
Aundrea Gamble (Arkansas State, RS-Junior, Guard)

Predicted Order of Finish (first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Arkansas State (9) - 118 pts
2. UALR (2) - 112 pts
3. Texas State - 93 pts
4. Georgia State - 82 pts
5. Troy - 70 pts
6. UL Lafayette - 64 pts
7. South Alabama - 49 pts
8. Appalachian State - 47 pts
9. UT Arlington - 44 pts
10. Georgia Southern - 27 pts
11. UL Monroe - 20 pts

Players Mentioned

Ashley Beverly Kelley

Beverly-Kelley Earns All-Sun Belt Preseason; Troy Women Picked Fifth

Troy University Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Ashley Beverly Kelley

Beverly-Kelley Earns All-Sun Belt Preseason; Troy Women Picked Fifth

Related Videos