Troy University Athletics
Dyer, Leggett, Baez Make Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams; Team Picked Third in Preseason Polls
10/20/2025 11:00:00 AM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. – As the Troy women's basketball program enters the 2025-26 season, it takes a conference-high three Preseason All-Sun Belt members as Zay Dyer leads the way on the first team, followed by Rachel Leggett on the second, and Ashley Baez on the third – Troy also finished third in the coaches' poll, trailing just James Madison and Arkansas State.
Since only 15 student-athletes are chosen for these preseason honors, and we have 14 teams in the Sun Belt, we are very proud to represent Troy with three Preseason All-Sun Belt selections, head coach Chanda Rigby said.
The 2024-25 All-Sun Belt First Team member, Dyer, extends Troy's run of a Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team member to four of the last five years. She comes off a 2024-25 campaign where she led the Sun Belt in rebounds and double-doubles at 10.4 and 18, respectively – she also ranked fourth in field goal percentage at 44.5 and seventh in blocks per game at 1.03. Her 395 total rebounds en route to finishing as the WNIT runner-up also topped the list in Troy single-season history. Dyer scored in double-figures in 30 of her 37 starts, including the last 13 games, to be awarded WNIT All-Tournament Team on 16.6 points, 11 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
South Alabama transfer Leggett follows Dyer on the second team. On a Jaguar team that finished 6-24, 2-16 SBC, Leggett was the shining light with 13.1 points on a team-high 54.1 percent shooting in 30 games (21 starts). The 5-8 guard also posted four double-doubles against Faulkner, Bethune-Cookman, Louisiana and Georgia State, while finishing with 10-plus points in 21 games and multiple steals in 12. Her scoring peaked with double-figures in eight consecutive games, including three 20-plus performances – Leggett's career-high in points came against Troy with 27 points on 7-of-15 shooting.
Baez rounds out the trio of Trojans to receive preseason accolades after averaging 9.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals across 38 games. Her 62 total steals ranked seventh in the league as she swiped multiple steals in 18 games, with 10 games at 3-plus – her career-high of five steals came at No. 7 LSU. Baez debuted for the Trojans with five straight games in double-figures to end the season with 10-plus points in 22 of her 38 games. The 5-5 guard also became the first Trojan since Nia Daniel to hit 10-plus free throws in a game on a 10-of-10 performance at the charity stripe against Chattanooga.
Overall, the Trojans were picked to finish third with 171 votes under Rigby. Troy returns five players, including Dyer and Baez, while bringing in eight newcomers that includes Leggett. With Troy being picked third in the polls, it's now the 10th straight season where the team was picked to finish in the top three.
To have the Sun Belt coaches predict that we will finish in the top three is an honor. We are working to exceed those expectations, Rigby said.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year:
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison [R-Sr. | G | Birdsboro, Pa.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
En'Dya Buford, Old Dominion [Gr. | G | Memphis, Tenn.]
Zay Dyer, Troy [Sr. | F | Atlanta, Ga.]
Jakayla Johnson, Southern Miss [Gr. | G | Clinton, Miss]
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison [R-Sr. | G | Birdsboro, Pa.]
Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [Jr. | G | Sachse, Texas]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team
Ashanti Barnes, James Madison [Gr. | F | Norfolk, Va.]
Crystal Henderson, Georgia State [Jr. | G | Marietta, Ga.]
Rachel Leggett, Troy [Sr. | G | Navarre, Fla.]
Zyion Shannon, Arkansas State [Sr. | G | Smyrna, Tenn.]
Kristin Williams, Coastal Carolina [Gr. | G | San Diego, Calif.]
Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team
Ashley Baez (Dominican Republic/Hyde HS), Troy [Sr. | G | Dominican Republic]
Simone Cunningham, Old Dominion [Sr. | G | Pleasant Grove, Ala.]
Meredith Maier, Marshall [Sr. | F | Fairmont, W.Va.]
Elena Pericic, App State [Sr. | F | Rijeka, Croatia]
Meloney Thames, Southern Miss [Gr. | G | Philadelphia, Miss.]
2025 Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. James Madison (9) – 189
2. Arkansas State (3) – 174
3. Troy (1) – 171
4. Old Dominion (1) – 151
5. Southern Miss – 125
6. Coastal Carolina – 104
7. Georgia State – 102
8. Marshall – 100
9. App State – 94
10. Georgia Southern – 73
11. Louisiana – 67
12. Texas State – 55
13. ULM – 36
14. South Alabama – 29
Parentheses indicate first-place votes
