SAN FRANCISCO – The Washington State women's basketball team was selected sixth in the 2021-22 Pac-12 Conference Preseason media poll as announced by the league Wednesday, Nov. 3. Sophomore Charlisse Leger-Walker was named to the All-Pac-12 Preseason by the press, while senior Krystal Leger-Walker earned an honorable mention nod.
The Pac-12 Conference preseason media poll and all-conference team is voted on by several media members that cover Pac-12 women's basketball teams. The press put the Cougars in the same slot as the Pac-12 coaches, as WSU was also selected sixth in the 2021-22 Pac-12 preseason coaches poll back in October.
For the Leger-Walker sisters, it is the first time that either Charlisse or Krystal have earned preseason Pac-12 accolades by the media. Charlisse was also named to the Preseason All-Pac-12 team by the league's coaches last month.
Charlisse Leger-Walker, the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, is the first WSU player since Borislava Hristova to earn a preseason All-Pac-12 distinction. The younger Leger-Walker is the conference's top returning scorer, as she averaged 18.8 points per game as a true freshman in 2020-21. Last season, Leger-Walker set multiple WSU freshmen records, while also earning the second-most Pac-12 Freshmen of the Week honors in league history with seven.
Krystal Leger-Walker also made an immediate impact in her first season with the Cougs after sitting out the 2019-20 season due to the NCAA transfer rule. The elder Leger-Walker sister earned All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honors last season after averaging 9.8 points per game and collecting a league-best 109 total assists. The point guard is the Pac-12's top returner in assists after averaging 4.5 assists per game a season ago.
Washington State heads into year four under the direction of head coach Kamie Ethridge coming off the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years. The Cougars went 12-12 in 2020-21 and won nine Pac-12 games, which is the second-most conference wins in program history. The Cougars earned the No. 9 seed in the Mercado Region at the 2021 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
The Cougs have their final tune-up for the 2021-22 season this Friday, Nov. 5, as the Cougars host Northwest Nazarene for an exhibition game. Tip-off from Beasley Coliseum is set for 7 p.m. PT and admission is free to all.
Season tickets and single-game tickets are now on sale. Season ticket packages start at $39. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking the link here.
For more information on the Washington State women's basketball team, follow @WSUCougarWBB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
