UT Martin Women's Basketball Makes History with Votes in Preseason Coaches' Poll

MARTIN (November 30) – For the first time in program history, the University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball program garnered a vote in the USA TODAY Sports Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

The USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches’ poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at Division I schools. The panel is chosen by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The members represent each of the 32 Division I conferences that receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.

While this marks the first time that the Skyhawks have garnered preseason votes in the Coaches Poll, UT Martin did receive six votes in the final rankings during the 2013-14 championship season.

UT Martin returns 13 players from last season’s squad which posted a 22-10 record and won an Ohio Valley Conference regular season title. The Skyhawks are headlined by a pair of All-OVC senior forwards in Chelsey Perry and Maddie Waldrop. Perry sits on numerous preseason watch lists – including for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy and Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year after scoring 740 points last season.

The Skyhawks will open the 2020-21 campaign on Sunday, Dec. 6 with a trip to nationally ranked Louisville. Tipoff from the KFC Yum! Center is scheduled for 1 p.m.