Troy Picked 2nd in Preseason Poll, Trio Named All-Sun Belt

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TROY, Alabama – The Troy women's basketball team was picked to finish second and three Trojans were named Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference, the league announced on Wednesday.

Troy garnered 131 points and four first place votes placing it just two points behind favorite and reigning champion Little Rock. It is the most points the Trojans have received since joining the league in 2005. Although Troy was selected first in the 2016-17 preseason poll, it did so with 125 points and three first place votes.

Junior Kayla Robinson was named to the All-Sun Belt First Team, while junior Amber Rivers and senior Sky'Lynn Holmes earned second team honors.

Robinson was an All-Sun Belt Second Team pick at the end of last season after she finished 12^thin the conference averaging 13.1 points per game; she was seventh with 3.8 assists and eighth with a 78.1 free throw percentage. Robinson became the first player in Sun Belt Conference history to earn three consecutive Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week awards, which she did on Jan. 29, Feb. 5 and Feb. 12. After becoming the everyday starter at point guard, Robinson led Troy to a 10-3 record in the final 13 regular season games averaging 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists.

Rivers was also an All-Sun Belt Second Team selection leading the team and finishing eighth in the league with 13.9 points per game. She scored in double digits in 25 of 31 games and paced the team in scoring in 10 games. Rivers registered six games of 20 points scoring a season-high 27 points at Appalachian State.

Holmes enjoyed success in her first year with Troy after transferring from Tyler Junior College and was tabbed as the Sun Belt's Newcomer of the Year for the 2017-18 season. Holmes finished fourth in the league averaging 8.4 rebounds per game and turned in five double-doubles. She posted 21 rebounds against Louisiana, one shy of tying the program's Division I record of 22 set by Caitlyn Ramirez in 2017.

The Trojans open the 2018-19 season at Florida State on Nov. 6. The team hosts West Florida in an exhibition on Nov.1 at Trojan Arena. The first regular season home game is set for Nov. 12 against Samford.

2018-19 Conference Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll
first-place votes in parentheses

1. Little Rock - 133 pts (8)
2. Troy - 131 pts (4)
3. Texas State - 97 pts
3. UTA - 97 pts
5. Arkansas State - 95 pts
6. South Alabama - 78 pts
7. Louisiana - 75 pts
8. Coastal Carolina - 72 pts
9. Appalachian State - 67 pts
10. Georgia Southern - 39 pts
10. Georgia State - 39 pts
12. ULM - 13 pts

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
Ronjanae DeGray (Little Rock, Forward, Sr.)
Akasha Westbrook (Arkansas State, Guard, RS-Sr.)
Savannah Jones (South Alabama, Guard, RS-So.)
Toshua Leavitt (Texas State, Guard, Sr.)
Kayla Robinson (Troy, Guard, Jr.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Bayley Plummer (Appalachian State, Center, Jr.)
Madi Story (Appalachian State, Guard, RS-Sr.)
Naheria Hamilton (Coastal Carolina, Center, Jr.)
Sky'Lynn Holmes (Troy, Forward, Sr.)
Amber Rivers (Troy, Forward, Jr.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Arsula Clark (ULM, Guard, So.)
Lapresha Stanley (Appalachian State, Guard, So.)
Tori Lasker (Little Rock, Guard, So.)
Skyler Goodwin (Louisiana, Guard/Forward, So.)
Brooke Holle (Texas State, Guard, Jr.)

Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year
Ronjanae DeGray (Little Rock, Forward, Sr.)

For more information on Troy women's basketball, visit TroyTrojans.com or follow the team on Twitter at @TroyTrojansWBB.

Troy University Athletics

Troy Picked 2nd in Preseason Poll, Trio Named All-Sun Belt

Players Mentioned

Sky'Lynn Holmes

Amber Rivers

Kayla Robinson

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