Fresno State Athletics
'Dogs picked third in MW Preseason Poll
10/26/2016 9:58:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Junior center Bego Faz Davalos selected to MW Preseason All-Conference Team.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Fresno State, which finished second in the Mountain West last season, was selected to finish in third place in the 2015-16 Mountain West Women's Basketball Preseason Poll released Wednesday.
The Bulldogs received 225 points in the preseason poll, which selected Colorado State as the preseason favorite with 283 points followed by Boise State with 271 points. The Rams earned 17 of 29 first-place votes, while the Broncos received 11.
Fresno State was picked to finish fourth in both the 2014-15 and 2015-16 preseason polls.
The 'Dogs return two starters and eight letterwinners from last year's team which finished 22-12 overall, 15-3 in the MW and advanced to the postseason for the ninth consecutive year. The Bulldogs reached the second round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament for the second consecutive year.
Junior center Bego Faz Davalos was one of five players from the conference that was selected to the 2016-17 Mountain West Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team. The native of San Luis Potos?, Mexico is the reigning MW Defensive Player of the Year after leading not only the conference in blocks, but also the NCAA in both total blocks (136) and blocks per game (4.0) during the 2015-16 season. Her selection was the Bulldogs third Defensive Player of the Year honor in the program's four years in the conference.
Faz Davalos will again be looked at as a focal point in all that the Bulldogs do, not just defensive end. In 2015-16, she put together a complete effort for the Bulldogs, leading Fresno State in total points (431), points per game (12.7), offensive rebounds (107), defensive rebounds (211), total rebounds (318) rebounds per game (9.4), blocks (136) and steals (45) finishing second on the team in assists with 85.
With five key players from last season departing due to graduating, the Bulldogs lost 42.8 points per game, which included 10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds from 2015-16 All-MW honorable mention selection, Toni Smith. Fresno State's lone returner alongside Faz Davalos is sophomore Breanne Knishka. She earned All-MW Freshman Team honors after ranking second on the team minutes at 30.0 per game and assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.37. Starting all but one game last season, the wing averaged 4.8 points and 2.0 assists per game. Â
Fresno State hosts Azusa Pacific in an exhibition game on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., at the Save Mart Center before opening the season on Nov. 11 at 5 p.m. The opener is the first in a three-game homestand to begin the season with games against Utah (Nov. 15) and CSUN (Nov. 18) to follow.
2016-17 Mountain West Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Points
1.        Colorado State (17)    283
2.        Boise State (11)      271
3.        Fresno State        225
4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNLV Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 201
5.        San José State       197
6.        New Mexico (1)       176
7.        San Diego State      126
8.        Wyoming           123
9.        Utah State                   97
10.      Nevada                        66
11.      Air Force            28
2015-16 Mountain West Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Name Class Position Institution
Brooke Pahukoa Sr. G Boise State
Ellen Nystrom Sr. G Colorado State
Bego Faz Davalos Jr. C Fresno State
Cherise Beynon Jr. G New Mexico
Dezz Ramos Sr. PG San Jose State
Preseason Player of the Year
Ellen Nystrom, Sr., G, Colorado State
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Mykiel Burleson, Fr., G, New Mexico
Co-Newcomers of the Year
Hallie Gennett, Jr., F, San José State
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateWBB
Instagram:Â fresnostwbb
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
The Bulldogs received 225 points in the preseason poll, which selected Colorado State as the preseason favorite with 283 points followed by Boise State with 271 points. The Rams earned 17 of 29 first-place votes, while the Broncos received 11.
Fresno State was picked to finish fourth in both the 2014-15 and 2015-16 preseason polls.
The 'Dogs return two starters and eight letterwinners from last year's team which finished 22-12 overall, 15-3 in the MW and advanced to the postseason for the ninth consecutive year. The Bulldogs reached the second round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament for the second consecutive year.
Junior center Bego Faz Davalos was one of five players from the conference that was selected to the 2016-17 Mountain West Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team. The native of San Luis Potos?, Mexico is the reigning MW Defensive Player of the Year after leading not only the conference in blocks, but also the NCAA in both total blocks (136) and blocks per game (4.0) during the 2015-16 season. Her selection was the Bulldogs third Defensive Player of the Year honor in the program's four years in the conference.
Faz Davalos will again be looked at as a focal point in all that the Bulldogs do, not just defensive end. In 2015-16, she put together a complete effort for the Bulldogs, leading Fresno State in total points (431), points per game (12.7), offensive rebounds (107), defensive rebounds (211), total rebounds (318) rebounds per game (9.4), blocks (136) and steals (45) finishing second on the team in assists with 85.
With five key players from last season departing due to graduating, the Bulldogs lost 42.8 points per game, which included 10.9 points and 6.2 rebounds from 2015-16 All-MW honorable mention selection, Toni Smith. Fresno State's lone returner alongside Faz Davalos is sophomore Breanne Knishka. She earned All-MW Freshman Team honors after ranking second on the team minutes at 30.0 per game and assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.37. Starting all but one game last season, the wing averaged 4.8 points and 2.0 assists per game. Â
Fresno State hosts Azusa Pacific in an exhibition game on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., at the Save Mart Center before opening the season on Nov. 11 at 5 p.m. The opener is the first in a three-game homestand to begin the season with games against Utah (Nov. 15) and CSUN (Nov. 18) to follow.
2016-17 Mountain West Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Points
1.        Colorado State (17)    283
2.        Boise State (11)      271
3.        Fresno State        225
4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNLV Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 201
5.        San José State       197
6.        New Mexico (1)       176
7.        San Diego State      126
8.        Wyoming           123
9.        Utah State                   97
10.      Nevada                        66
11.      Air Force            28
2015-16 Mountain West Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Name Class Position Institution
Brooke Pahukoa Sr. G Boise State
Ellen Nystrom Sr. G Colorado State
Bego Faz Davalos Jr. C Fresno State
Cherise Beynon Jr. G New Mexico
Dezz Ramos Sr. PG San Jose State
Preseason Player of the Year
Ellen Nystrom, Sr., G, Colorado State
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Mykiel Burleson, Fr., G, New Mexico
Co-Newcomers of the Year
Hallie Gennett, Jr., F, San José State
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateWBB
Instagram:Â fresnostwbb
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
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