Shakira Austin Named Preseason All-SEC, Ole Miss Eighth in SEC Media Poll

Ole Miss women’s basketball senior Shakira Austin has been named Preseason All-SEC, and the Rebels have been picked to finish eighth in the SEC Preseason Media Poll released on Tuesday.

The No. 8 preseason slot is the highest for Ole Miss in the media poll since 2015-16, when the Rebels were predicted to finish seventh. Associated Press No. 1 South Carolina was voted to win the conference by the media, and was followed by No. 15 Tennessee, No. 23 Texas A&M, No. 13 Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas and LSU. Ole Miss received one vote in the AP Preseason Poll also released on Tuesday.

This is the second year in a row Austin has been named to at least one Preseason All-SEC team, after making the Coaches Second-Team last season. Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard was chosen for Preseason Player of the Year, and the other three media-selected Preseason All-SEC members were Khayla Pointer of LSU, and both Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke of South Carolina.

Ole Miss women’s basketball is coming off a historic postseason run last year, and the Rebels will return a star-studded roster in 2021-22 for Yolett McPhee-McCuin’s fourth season as head coach. Leading that charge will be Austin, who dominated in her first season at Ole Miss, winning the C Spire Gillom Trophy while also earning Honorable Mention All-America, First-Team All-SEC, and she was also named a member of the Lisa Leslie Top-10 list.

Austin will be joined by the likes of reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, Madison Scott, and SEC All-Freshman member, Snudda Collins, as well as returning stalwarts Donnetta Johnson and Mimi Reid. This year they are also joined by highly-touted newcomers like Angel Baker and Lashonda Monk. Ole Miss went 15-12 overall in 2020-21, which included three top-25 wins, the Rebels’ first trip to the SEC Quarterfinal since 2010, and the furthest postseason run in program history that ended with an appearance in the WNIT title game.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports