Basketball | 10/21/2024 11:02:00 AM

RICHARDSON, Texas (Oct. 21, 2024) – For the first time in program history (as dating back to the available records), the Texas Woman's basketball was picked No. 1 in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll.

TWU closed last season with their most wins in program history, 34, and fewest losses, five. The Pioneers claimed their second straight LSC Regular Season Title. Then, they defeated UT Permian Basin to win their second LSC Tournament Title in program history.

After the LSC title run, the Pioneers continued their history-making campaign. As the one seed and host for the 2024 South Central Regional Tournament, TWU defeated UT Tyler to win their first South Central Regional Title in program history and advance to the 2024 NCAA Elite Eight Tournament.

With wins over Daemen and Ferris State, the Pioneers advanced to the 2024 NCAA National Championship Game and ended their historical run as the 2024 NCAA National Runner-Up.

The Pioneers returned every player from the 2023-24 roster and welcomed transfer Gabby Elliott to this year's squad.

With 37 first-place votes and 703 total votes, TWU claimed the No. 1 spot in the 2024 LSC Preseason Poll.

"We are proud of this honor, as it is a testament to our hard work and commitment to success last season," TWU Head Coach Beth Jillson said. "Last year was full of impactful moments that we are taking into this season. We also learned a lot and grew closer as a team last year, and we look forward to building upon last year's growth. This is a new year and new season, and we are excited to have everyone back to continue to bring our best every single day."

Ashley Ingram, the reigning LSC Player of the Year, was voted as the 2024 LSC Preseason Player of the Year.

"Ashley is a hard worker and incredible leader for our team," Coach Jillson said. "She selflessly works to bring her best day-in and day-out and strives to make everyone around her their best. I am so proud of Ashley and the work she put in to receive this accolade."

The senior forward from Bridgeport, Texas helped pioneer the historical run by the Pioneers last season. Along with becoming the first TWU player to be named the LSC Player of the Year, she also earned the program's first D2CCA South Central Region Most Valuable Player honor and the first NCAA South Central Regional Most Valuable Player award. Additionally, she earned, not one, but two All-American honors, being named TWU's first D2CCA All-American, and she claimed her second Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America honor.

Committed to success in the classroom and posting a 3.863 GPA, Ingram was named to her third straight LSC All-Academic Team and was named the first College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-American in program history.

Ingram was also named to the LSC All-Tournament Team, the NCAA Elite Eight All-Tournament Team and the Non-DI All-Texas Player of the Year by Dave Campbell's Texas Football.

During the 2023-24 season, Ingram set two individual program records: most points in a season, 717, and most rebounds in a season, 348. She closed the season with 20 double-doubles. She now ranks third all-time in points (1,539), rebounds (744), fourth all-time in blocks (78), and sixth all-time in assists (254). Ingram led the Pioneers in field goal percentage (59.3%), free throw makes (270) and attempts (324), points (717), points per game (18.4), rebounds (384), rebounds per game (8.9), assists (150) and blocks (25).

She closed the season ranked fifth in the nation in double doubles, sixth in the nation in field goal percentage and first in free throw attempts. She started all 39 games for the Pioneers and averaged 32 minutes per game. She scored a career high 32 points on Dec. 19 at Harding. She went perfect from the field three times on the season and perfect from the free throw line 11 times. She matched her career high in rebounds, 14, on March 29 against Minnesota State. She also recorded a career high in assists, eight, on Dec. 2 at Cameron and a career high in steals on Jan. 4 against UAFS. During the season, she not only eclipsed the 1,000-point mark, she eclipsed the 1,500-point mark.

Ingram becomes the second Pioneer to earned the LSC Preseason Player of the Year honor and only Pioneer to earn the honor more than once, after receiving the award prior to the 2022-23 season.

The Pioneers will open their 2024-25 campaign on Nov. 2 against Missouri Southern State at the 2024 D2CCA Tip-off Classic.

As part of the 2024 LSC Online Media Days, an interview with Ashley Ingram will be released today at 11:15 a.m. Then, on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 1 p.m., an interview with Head Coach Beth Jillson, senior Scout Huffman and senior Ariyanna Hines will be released.