JONESBORO, Ark. (10/20/25) – 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

2025 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year:
Peyton McDaniel, James Madison [R-Sr. | G | Birdsboro, Pa.]

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team

En’Dya Buford, Old Dominion [Gr. | G | Memphis, Tenn.]

Zay Dyer, Troy [Sr. | F | Atlanta, Ga.]

Jakayla Johnson, Southern Miss [Gr. | G | Clinton, Miss]

Peyton McDaniel, James Madison [R-Sr. | G | Birdsboro, Pa.]

Crislyn Rose, Arkansas State [Jr. | G | Sachse, Texas]

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team

Ashanti Barnes, James Madison [Gr. | F | Norfolk, Va.]

Crystal Henderson, Georgia State [Jr. | G | Marietta, Ga.]

Rachel Leggett, Troy [Sr. | G | Navarre, Fla.]

Zyion Shannon, Arkansas State [Sr. | G | Smyrna, Tenn.]

Kristin Williams, Coastal Carolina [Gr. | G | San Diego, Calif.]

Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team

Ashley Baez, Troy [Sr. | G | Dominican Republic]

Simone Cunningham, Old Dominion [Sr. | G | Pleasant Grove, Ala.]

Meredith Maier, Marshall [Sr. | F | Fairmont, W.Va.]

Elena Pericic, App State [Sr. | F | Rijeka, Croatia]

Meloney Thames, Southern Miss [Gr. | G | Philadelphia, Miss.]

The Red Wolves return to action from a 2024-25 season that ended with a 15-3 conference record, a 2025 Sun Belt Tournament Championship and the first NCAA Tournament berth in program history.

The season begins with the opening round of the MAC-SBC Challenge on November 3, at 7:00 p.m. against Ball State, but fans will get their first chance to see the Red Wolves in action on October 28, at 7:00 p.m. in an exhibition against Henderson State.