University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Shonte Hailes Earns Preseason Honors from C-USA
10/16/2019 11:49:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Conference USA released its annual preseason poll and team on Wednesday.
DALLAS, Texas – Shonte Hailes of Southern Miss women's basketball has been named to the Preseason All-Conference Team for the second year in a row, Conference USA announced Wednesday. The Conference also released its preseason poll.
Shonte Hailes, a 5'6" senior guard from Quitman, Miss. earned her second-straight C-USA Preseason All-Conference honor. After earning it prior to the 2018-19 season, Hailes went on to record 387 points and 132 assists, led the team in points for 12 games out of the 30 she played in, led the team in assists all season, and was named First Team All-Conference after the conclusion of the season. She scored 30-plus points in two games, both against LA Tech, and earned herself a Player of the Week accolade from the Conference. She also began her ascent on the all-time assists list for Southern Miss, finishing tied for eighth place with Brittanny Dinkins with a total of 378 for her career.
Among Hailes on the Preseason All-Conference squad are:
Anastasia Hayes, Middle Tennessee
Nancy Mulkey, Rice
Erica Ogwumike, Rice *
Rachael Childress, UAB
Miyah Barnes, UAB
Dee Givens, WKU
Raneem Elgedawy, WKU
* Preseason Player of the Year
Conference USA also released its 2019-20 preseason poll Wednesday, where the Lady Eagles are pegged to finish eighth. The preseason poll and team are both decided on by vote of the Conference's 14 head coaches.
The Preseason Poll is as follows, with first-place votes in parentheses.
1. Rice (11)
2. Middle Tennessee (3)
3. WKU
4. UAB
5. Old Dominion
6. Charlotte
7. North Texas
8. Southern Miss
9. LA Tech
10. Florida Atlantic
11. Marshall
12. UTEP
13. UTSA
14. FIU
In the 2018-19 season, the Lady Eagles finished eighth with an overall record of 18-14 and a record of 9-7 in Conference play. Southern Miss saw wins against UTSA twice, once against Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, LA Tech, Marshall, UTEP and WKU. The Lady Eagles faced setbacks but battled their way into the postseason, earning a bid to the WBI for the first time. Southern Miss played an electric game against Nicholls in round one, coming away with a 77-71 win, and fell just short in round two against North Alabama, losing 69-65 in overtime.
The Lady Eagles have two new additions on staff in Jack Trosper, Assistant Head Coach, and Stephanie Stoglin-Reed serving as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. Three new faces grace the 2019-20 roster in 5'9" freshman guard Liz Gibbs from Fairburn, Ga., 5'7" junior guard Jalise Smallwood from Butler CC, and 5'9" sophomore guard Lauren Gross from North Florida. Gross will sit out the season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Southern Miss will start the 2019-20 campaign at home against crosstown foe William Carey on Nov. 2 at 11am for Education Day. This will be the seventh time the Lady Eagles face the Crusaders for their home opener, and sixth time also as the season opener. Southern Miss is 6-0 when starting the season with William Carey.
Shonte Hailes, a 5'6" senior guard from Quitman, Miss. earned her second-straight C-USA Preseason All-Conference honor. After earning it prior to the 2018-19 season, Hailes went on to record 387 points and 132 assists, led the team in points for 12 games out of the 30 she played in, led the team in assists all season, and was named First Team All-Conference after the conclusion of the season. She scored 30-plus points in two games, both against LA Tech, and earned herself a Player of the Week accolade from the Conference. She also began her ascent on the all-time assists list for Southern Miss, finishing tied for eighth place with Brittanny Dinkins with a total of 378 for her career.
Among Hailes on the Preseason All-Conference squad are:
Anastasia Hayes, Middle Tennessee
Nancy Mulkey, Rice
Erica Ogwumike, Rice *
Rachael Childress, UAB
Miyah Barnes, UAB
Dee Givens, WKU
Raneem Elgedawy, WKU
* Preseason Player of the Year
Conference USA also released its 2019-20 preseason poll Wednesday, where the Lady Eagles are pegged to finish eighth. The preseason poll and team are both decided on by vote of the Conference's 14 head coaches.
The Preseason Poll is as follows, with first-place votes in parentheses.
1. Rice (11)
2. Middle Tennessee (3)
3. WKU
4. UAB
5. Old Dominion
6. Charlotte
7. North Texas
8. Southern Miss
9. LA Tech
10. Florida Atlantic
11. Marshall
12. UTEP
13. UTSA
14. FIU
In the 2018-19 season, the Lady Eagles finished eighth with an overall record of 18-14 and a record of 9-7 in Conference play. Southern Miss saw wins against UTSA twice, once against Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, LA Tech, Marshall, UTEP and WKU. The Lady Eagles faced setbacks but battled their way into the postseason, earning a bid to the WBI for the first time. Southern Miss played an electric game against Nicholls in round one, coming away with a 77-71 win, and fell just short in round two against North Alabama, losing 69-65 in overtime.
The Lady Eagles have two new additions on staff in Jack Trosper, Assistant Head Coach, and Stephanie Stoglin-Reed serving as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. Three new faces grace the 2019-20 roster in 5'9" freshman guard Liz Gibbs from Fairburn, Ga., 5'7" junior guard Jalise Smallwood from Butler CC, and 5'9" sophomore guard Lauren Gross from North Florida. Gross will sit out the season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Southern Miss will start the 2019-20 campaign at home against crosstown foe William Carey on Nov. 2 at 11am for Education Day. This will be the seventh time the Lady Eagles face the Crusaders for their home opener, and sixth time also as the season opener. Southern Miss is 6-0 when starting the season with William Carey.
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