ENMU men seventh, women 10th in LSC poll

RICHARDSON, Texas – Coming off their second Lone Star Conference tournament championship, and first since 1993, Eastern New Mexico University’s men were picked for seventh place in the 16-team LSC in a poll released by the conference office on Monday.

ENMU, which went 22-10 (15-7 LSC) last season for its most wins since 1992-93, earned 391 points in the poll of LSC coaches and sports information personnel, and selected media members.

West Texas A&M, an NCAA Division II national semifinalist and owner of a 30-5 record last season, collected 28 of 45 first-place votes and finished with 687 points. Dallas Baptist was second in the poll with 671 points and 12 first-place votes and followed by Lubbock Christian (628 points, four first-place nods), Angelo State (555), St. Edward’s (545), Texas A&M International (427, one first-place tally), ENMU, Cameron (386), Texas-Permian Basin (338), Oklahoma Christian (324), Midwestern State (318), St. Mary’s (313), Texas A&M-Kingsville (198), Texas-Tyler (152), Western New Mexico (124) and LSC newcomer Sul Ross State (63).

“It’s great to have preseason rankings so that we can all generate excitement about the coming season,” first-year ENMU men’s coach Daven Vo said. “Regardless of where we were picked, our guys are fired up about playing in front of our fans and playing our tough and exciting brand of basketball.”

Vo, an assistant to the departed Brent Owens at ENMU from 2021-23 before spending last season on the staff at Colorado-Colorado Springs, will have a mostly new roster this time around. Returning players for the Hounds are senior forward Mario Whitley (10.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg), junior forward Jose Murillo (8.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and freshman guard Alex Alfaro, a redshirt last season.

DBU senior guard Cameron Kahn was selected the LSC preseason player of the year, while Whitley was ENMU’s choice in the “players to watch” category.

The Greyhounds opened the campaign on Monday night with an exhibition against Division I No. 10 Arizona at Tucson, Ariz., and came away with a 117-54 loss at the hands of the Wildcats.

Senior guard Cougar Downing, a transfer from Division I Arkansas-Little Rock, led ENMU with 11 points while Murillo battled foul trouble but finished with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting.

Arizona put six players in double digits, including two subs, and outrebounded ENMU 47-24. The Wildcats shot 63 percent from the floor (38-of-60), going 14-of-26 from 3-point range, to 32 percent (20-of-63) for the Hounds.

“We learned a lot about being physical and being able to handle that,” Vo said afterward. “They’re a very good team, and they played great.”

The Hounds return to Phoenix next Tuesday for another exhibition against Grand Canyon before opening the regular campaign on Nov. 8 against host Fort Lewis in a South Central Region crossover event in Durango, Colo.

ENMU’s women were pegged for 10th place with 308 points. The Hounds were 11-17 (7-15 LSC) a year ago in Blake Huber’s first campaign at the helm.

Texas Woman’s notched 703 points and 37 of 45 first-place votes after going 34-5 last year, sweeping the LSC regular-season and tournament titles and reaching the NCAA Division II finals, where the Pioneers lost to Minnesota State-Mankato 89-73 to finish as the national runnerup. They return everyone from that squad.

Lubbock Christian (627 points, three first-place votes) was picked for second place, followed by Texas-Tyler (614, two first-place votes), UTPB (566, one first-place vote), WT (514, one first-place vote), Angelo State 507, Texas A&M International (419, one first-place vote), Texas A&M-Kingsville (413), Cameron (319), ENMU, Midwestern State (292), St. Edward’s (268), St. Mary’s (205), Oklahoma Christian (177), Western New Mexico (101) and Sul Ross (87).

TWU senior forward Ashley Ingram was named the preseason player of the year. ENMU’s selection in the “players to watch” category was senior forward Ishauna Hunter, who averaged team bests of 14.4 ppg and 8.3 rpg in 2023-24.

Hunter is one of four returnees from last season, joined by sophomore guard Jaz Salon and Daci Smith and sophomore forward Julieta Ceta, who missed the entire 2023-24 campaign due to injury.

The Hounds open the regular season on Nov. 8 at Durango, facing New Mexico Highlands. They have in-season exhibitions slated for Dec. 20 at New Mexico State and Dec. 30 at Texas-El Paso.