Both Troy men’s and women’s basketball received votes to finish first in the Sun Belt Conference as men’s basketball was picked to finish third, and the women’s team tabbed to finish second.
Both teams also had two players selected to one of the three all-conference preseason teams.
The men’s team comes in third in the preseason poll with 155 total points and one first-place vote in their favor. The Trojans come in behind Arkansas State, who received 12 first-place votes, and James Madison, who received the one other first-place vote from the coaches.
As for player awards, sophomore guard Myles Rigsby and senior guard Tayton Conerway both receive preseason recognition.
Rigsby was selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference First Team after a breakout freshman campaign that resulted in a conference Freshman of the Year award. He is also the only underclassman selected to any of the three SBC preseason teams.
Conerway comes in just behind him on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team after a standout junior year that saw him take home the Sun Belt Sixth Man of the Year award for the 2023-24 season.
The guard duo led the Trojans in steals on defense, with both players also averaging double digits in scoring.
For the Troy women’s basketball team, it’s a similar story as the Trojans are tabbed to finish second in conference, with 169 total votes, putting them behind only James Madison. The Dukes earned 12 first-place votes while the Trojans took home the other two votes.
Two returners – on a team that sees nine newcomers – received preseason all-conference team selections with senior guard Shaulana Wagner and junior forward Zay Dyers receiving the nods.
Wagner gets her first ever Sun Belt selection, as she was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team after finishing an impressive first season in the cardinal. She put her name sixth in the Troy single season assists list, dishing out 150 assists.
Dyers saw her named called for the Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team after a first season at Troy that saw her put up strong numbers in a reserve role. The junior finished the season with four double-doubles, including a 20 point, 17 rebound outing against Appalachian State.
Both teams look primed for another run in conference play, but first they must fight through tough non-conference schedules. The men’s team starts their season playing host to Toledo in Trojan Arena on Nov. 4 while the women’s team hits the road that day to take on Buffalo in Buffalo, New York.
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