Fresno State begins MW women’s hoops race looking up at reigning champs

Fresno State junior center Bego Faz Davalos was named to the Preseason All-Mountain West Team on Wednesday, and the Bulldogs were picked to finish third in a preseason poll of the conference’s 11 women’s basketball coaches and select media.

Colorado State is favored to win a fourth straight regular-season title behind preseason player of the year Ellen Nystrom. The Rams received 17 of 29 first-place votes for 283 total points.

Boise State had 11 first-place votes and 271 points, while the Bulldogs had 225 points. New Mexico, picked sixth overall, received the other first-place vote.

The Bulldogs, who host Azusa Pacific in a Nov. 4 exhibition and Biola on Nov. 12, both at Save Mart Center, were the runners-up a year ago at 15-3 and 22-12 overall under second-year coach Jaime White. Fresno State was picked fourth in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 polls.

Nystrom, a senior guard and last year’s regular-season player of the year, was joined on the all-preseason team by reigning defensive player of the year Faz Davalos, Boise State senior Brooke Pahukoa, New Mexico junior Cherise Beynon and San Jose State senior Dezz Ramos.

New Mexico rookie Mykiel Burleson is the preseason freshman of the year and San Jose State transfer Hallie Gennett the preseason newcomer of the year.

Faz Davalos led the Bulldogs in scoring (12.7), rebounding (9.4) and blocks (136) and was second in steals (45) and assists (85). With the loss of center Toni Smith to graduation, Fresno State will need even more production.

“Obviously we expect a big defensive presence from Bego,” White said during the Mountain West preseason show on Facebook Live. “But we’ll also be looking for (Faz Davalos) to score a little more around the basket and from that high-post shot.”

Faz Davalos and sophomore guard Breanne Knishka are the only returning starters, but the Bulldogs have six other letter winners on the roster plus redshirt sophomore guard Tory Jacobs, a Minnesota transfer who sat out last season per NCAA rules.

The 5-foot-10 Jacobs could play at point or shooting guard. “She has good 3-point range, good ball handling and is a good passing point guard,” White said.

Also back are seniors Emilie Volk, Kendra Martin and Anais Kirvan, and sophomores Candice White, Zaria Branch and Raven Johnson.

Newcomers include freshman guard Kristina Cavey, who has the team’s top vertical leap at 26 inches, and 6-4 center Katelin Noyer of Auckland, New Zealand.

“We’ve turned over 12 kids in two years,” she said. “We’re excited to see where everybody fits and how we move forward.”

This story was originally published October 26, 2016 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Fresno State begins MW women’s hoops race looking up at reigning champs."