Red Wolves Place Second in Preseason Poll; Rose and Shannon Earn Preseason SBC Honors
Arkansas State women’s basketball was picked to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference in the 2025-26 Preseason Coaches Poll with two Red Wolves named in the preseason honors, the league announced Monday.
Junior Crislyn Rose was selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team after a 2024-25 campaign that concluded with Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors alongside a Third Team All-Conference label. Rose averaged 10.0 points, a team-best 4.4 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game.
Senior Zyion Shannon earned Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team honors after leading the team with 10.7 points per game on a 39.9% field goal percentage last season. The senior scored 10-plus points in 17 games and topped 20 points five times en route to Second Team All-Conference recognition.
A-State received 174 points in the preseason coaches poll with three first place votes. James Madison was selected first with 189 points and nine first place votes, while Troy rounded out the top three on 171 points and one first place vote. James Madison’s Peyton McDaniel was named SBC Preseason Player of the Year.
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