RICHARDSON, Texas – The Cameron women's basketball team returns to the court with high expectations heading into the 2021-22 season picked fourth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll. 
 
Despite a shortened season, the Aggie women had a breakout 2020-21 campaign, going 11-8 and 10-6 in league games on their way to an appearance in both the LSC Tournament and NCAA Division II South Central Region semifinal games. Head coach Emma Andrews returns all but a few pieces from that squad and has reloaded with a talented group of transfers and freshmen. 
 
Cameron brings back one of the best players in the LSC in Maighan Hedge. Last season, the fourth-year guard averaged 16.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game while leading the Aggies on and off the court. She racked up multiple accolades including LSC Offensive Player of the Week, First Team All-LSC, Academic Player of the Year, and CoSIDA Academic All-American and All-Region. She is just 301 points and 41 assists away from breaking the programs career record. 
 
Joining Hedge in the backcourt is All-LSC selection Stephanie Peterson and All-Freshman team member Katie King. Peterson averaged 10.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.4 steals a year ago and earned Defensive Player of the Week and was also on the LSC All-Academic team. King was third on the team with 8.5 points per game to go along with 2.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per outing. CU also brings back consistent forward Whitney Outon, who was All-LSC honorable mention and averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.3 steals from her spot down low. 
 
In addition to the four players recognized by the LSC last season, the Aggies also return veteran guard Logan Collyer, tough defender Michaela James, knockdown shooter Karley Miller, tough rebounder LaKya Leslie, and versatile forward Kassie Boorer. 
 
Andrews and assistant coach Jeff Mahoney have added a talented recruiting class headlined by Division I transfer Korie Allensworth and Division II transfer Jenni Beebe. Allensworth was an all-state selection and 2,000-point scorer at Sulphur HS before spending her first season at Louisiana Tech where she played in eight games. Beebe, a 6-foot forward from Kingfisher, spent a season at Oklahoma Baptist where she averaged 4.1 points and 3.6 rebounds and will provide depth in the front court for CU. Chelsea Lazenby is another talented scorer added in the offeseason as well as true freshmen Courtnee Cash and Alannah Gillespie. 
 
Last year's National Champion, Lubbock Christian, is the favorite to repeat as conference champion, earning 40 of the first-place votes and 741 total points. Texas A&M-Commerce, picked as the runner-up, received three first place nods with 674 points and West Texas A&M totaled 647 points. The Aggies at 590 and Midwestern State at 560 rounded out the predicted top-5 teams in the LSC this year. 
 
Additionally, Texas A&M International, St. Mary's, Oklahoma Christian, St. Edward's and Texas A&M-Kingsville rounded out the top-10 teams and Texas Woman's and UT Permian Basin were voted the final two teams to make the league tournament at the end of the year. Eastern New Mexico, UAFS, Angelo State, UT Tyler, and Western New Mexico made up the bottom of the poll. 
 
The Lady Chaps' leading scorer and All-American Allie Schulte was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year. Schulte garnered 25 of the 44 votes for the honor, with Hedge and a few others getting nods as well. 
 
Cameron's new season begins on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13 at home in the Aggie Gym against Adams State and Colorado-Colorado Springs. Both games are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. The season openers are two of seven games in Lawton for the CU women during the fall semester.