New Mexico State men’s basketball picked second in coaches and media polls; women’s basketball picked in bottom half of WAC

LAS CRUCES – New Mexico State’s men’s basketball team is not the preseason favorite to win the Western Athletic Conference title for the first time since 2017-18, the preseason coaches’ and media polls revealed Monday.

The Aggies were picked to finish second in both the coaches and media polls behind Grand Canyon, who received eight first-place votes in the coaches’ poll. NMSU received three in its first season under head coach Greg Heiar.

The Aggies were picked to finish ahead of third-place Stephen F. Austin, fourth-place Abilene Christian and fifth-place California Baptist in both polls. ACU and CBU were the only other teams to receive a first-place vote.

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LSU graduate transfer guard Xavier Pinson and junior Northwest Florida State College transfer guard Deshawndre Washington were preseason First Team All-Conference media selections; Pinson was also named First Team All-Conference by the coaches’ poll as well.

Grand Canyon junior guard Jovan Blacksher was named Preseason Player of the Year in the coaches’ and media polls.

NMSU opens its season with a home exhibition contest against Western New Mexico Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at the Pan American Center. The Aggies will also have a Crimson-White scrimmage Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. that will be open to the public and free to attend.

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2022-23 WAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

2022-23 WAC Coaches’ Preseason Player of the Year: Jovan Blacksher Jr., Jr., G, Grand Canyon

2022-23 Preseason Coaches’ All-WAC First TeamAirion Simmons, Sr., F, Abilene ChristianTaran Armstrong, So., G, California BaptistJovan Blacksher Jr., Jr., G, Grand CanyonXavier Pinson, Sr., G, NM StateCameron Tyson, Jr., G, Seattle UTevian Jones, Sr., G/F, Southern UtahJustin Johnson, Sr., F, UTRGVTrey Woodbury, Sr., G, Utah Valley

2022-23 Preseason Coaches’ All-WAC Second TeamRayshon Harrison, So., G, Grand CanyonGabe McGlothan, Jr., F, Grand CanyonJavion May, Sr., G, Sam HoustonRiley Grigsby, Sr., G/F, Seattle UMaizen Fausett, Sr., F, Southern UtahSadaidriene Hall, So., F, Stephen F. AustinJaylin Jackson-Posey, So., G, Stephen F. AustinFreddy Hicks, Jr., G/F, Tarleton

2022-23 WAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Media Poll

2022-23 WAC Media Preseason Player of the Year: Jovan Blacksher Jr., Jr., G, Grand Canyon

2022-23 Preseason Media All-WAC TeamAirion Simmons, Sr., F, Abilene ChristianTaran Armstrong, So., G, California BaptistJovan Blacksher Jr., Jr., G, Grand CanyonXavier Pinson, Sr., G, NM StateDeshawndre Washington, Jr., G, NM StateCameron Tyson, Jr., G, Seattle UJaylin Jackson-Posey, So., G, Stephen F. AustinTrey Woodbury, Sr., G, Utah Valley

NMSU women’s basketball picked 10^th in coaches’ poll, 12^th in media poll

NMSU’s women’s team was selected to finish 10^th in the coaches’ poll and 12^th in the media poll in Jody Adams’ first season as the Aggies’ head coach. The Aggies did not have a player named to the preseason coaches’ or media All-WAC teams.

The Aggies were picked to finish among Tarleton, UTRGV and Seattle in both polls.

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Stephen F. Austin is the preseason favorite to win the conference in both polls. UT Arlington, Grand Canyon, California Baptist and Abilene Christian filled out 2^nd through 5^th in the two polls.

SFA’s Aiyana Johnson was named the Preseason Player of the Year in the coaches’ poll; UT Arlington’s Starr Jacobs was named the Preseason Player of the Year in the media poll.

NMSU opens its season Nov. 7 at Colorado at noon MT.

2022-23 Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll 

2022-23 WAC Coaches’ Preseason Player of the Year: Aiyana Johnson, Grad, F/C, Stephen F. Austin

2022­-23­ Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches' All-WAC Teams 

First Team Trinity San Antonio, So., G, California Baptist Aaliyah Collins, So., G, Grand Canyon  Madelyn Batista, Sr., F, Sam Houston Tomekia Whitman, Sr., G, Southern Utah Aiyana Johnson, Grad, F/C, Stephen F. Austin Starr Jacobs, Grad, F, UT Arlington Breaunna Gillen, Sr., G, Utah Tech Emily Isaacson, Sr., G/F, Utah Tech

Second Team Bella Earle, So., G, Abilene Christian Tiarra Brown, Jr., G/F, Grand Canyon Chyna Allen, Grad, G, Sam Houston  Cherita Daugherty, Grad, G, Southern Utah Jireh Washington, Grad, G, UT Arlington Kayla White, Grad, G, UT Arlington Iyana Dorsey, So., G, UTRGV Shay Fano, Jr., F, Utah Valley

2022-23 WAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Media Poll 

2022-23 WAC Media Preseason Player of the Year: Starr Jacobs, Grad, F, UT Arlington

2022-23 Preseason All-WAC Team Maleeah Langstaff, Grad, F, Abilene Christian Madi Miller, Grad, G, Abilene Christian Trinity San Antonio, So., G, California Baptist Aaliyah Collins, So., G, Grand Canyon  Aiyana Johnson, Grad, F/C, Stephen F. Austin Starr Jacobs, Grad, F, UT Arlington Jireh Washington, Grad, G, UT Arlington Breaunna Gillen, Sr., G, Utah Tech

Stephen Wagner is a sports reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News. He can found on Twitter at @stephenwag22 and reached at SWagner@lcsun-news.com.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico State men’s basketball picked second in coaches and media polls