ATLANTA - Not once, but twice did the UNF women's basketball team make program history for the news released in Wednesday afternoon's ASUN Preseason Poll and all-conference team announcement.
The Ospreys reached a program-high-water mark of second in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving 128 votes. UNF was selected third in last year's ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll, as well as the 2012-13 poll, both tied for the previous record.
North Florida took home a pair of first place votes to pick up a third-place slot in the media poll, tying a program record.
"October is always a fun time of the year as we get geared up for our season," head coach
Darrick Gibbs said. "This should be an exciting year in the ASUN with all the new teams and faces in the league. This is a special group that has been focused on getting better everyday. We are excited about where we are and the challenges that are in front of us."
Preseason Trio
Team history wasn't the only history set, as UNF had three student-athletes selected to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference squad for the first time in program history. Sisters, Jazz and
Jaida Bond, as well as
Marissa Mackins, were named to the All-ASUN Preseason squad, with
Jazz Bond receiving ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year laurels.
"Jazz, Marissa and Jaida are three talented young ladies who will be an integral part of our progress this season," Gibbs said. "They have worked hard to earn this recognition, but also know there is still a lot of work to be done as we get ready for the tough schedule we have in front of us."
UNF is the lone school to have three selections on this year's team, topping FGCU and Kennesaw State who received two apiece.
Mackins, a 2020-21 ASUN All-Conference First Team pick, was a unanimous selection to the team, just one of four unanimous picks.
The last time North Florida had more than one student-athlete on the ASUN Preseason All-Conference team was in 2016-17 when Sierra Shepherd and Claire Ioannidis got the nod.
Blood Bond
Jazz and
Jaida Bond were both ASUN All-Conference honorees last year, with the elder sister becoming the second Osprey in program history to be named ASUN Defensive Player of the Year.
Jaida was a second team selection with North Alabama a year after receiving ASUN All-Freshman Team honors during the 2019-20 season
The duo will have a chance to play with each other for the first time as collegiate teammates after spending the last two years putting up some of their best games against each other.
Jazz set the UNF single-game record for points with 35, including the buzzer-beater, at North Alabama January 31, 2021. Meanwhile, Jaida put up point totals of 25, 26 and 21 in three games against the Ospreys last season, including a 25-point and 12-rebound double-double January 30.
Mack Attack
A unanimous pick to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference team, Mackins was an ASUN First Team All-Conference honoree last season as a first-year Osprey. The Tar Heel State native transferred in from Temple prior to the 2020-21 season, turning out to be one of the best pure scorers in the ASUN.
The guard put up 14.4 points per game, converting 71 three-pointers to help her score 20-plus points on eight different occasions. Mackins finished 17th in the country for three-pointers, tallying a 42.3 percent mark from beyond the arc.
ASUN Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Preseason Player of the Year: Kierstan Bell, FGCU
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Jazz Bond, UNF
G *Kierstan Bell - FGCU
*Lucy Ibeh - Central Arkansas
*Tishara Morehouse - FGCU
*Marissa Mackins - North Florida
G Amani Johnson - Kennesaw State
F Alexis Poole - Kennesaw State
C Mya Berkman - Liberty
G Jaida Bond - North Florida
F Jazz Bond - North Florida
G Yazz Wazeerud-Din - Stetson
* - Denotes unanimous selection
ASUN Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
1) FGCU (12) - 144 points
2) North Florida - 128 points
3) Liberty - 119 points
4) Lipscomb - 99 points
5) Stetson - 93 points
6) Jacksonville State - 70 points
7) Kennesaw State - 65 points
8) Central Arkansas - 50 points
9) North Alabama - 47 points
10) Eastern Kentucky - 45 points
11) Bellarmine - 38
T-11) Jacksonville - 38 points
*(First Place Votes)
ASUN Women's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
1) FGCU (20) - 262 points
2) Liberty - 232 points
3) North Florida (2) - 210 points
4) Jacksonville State - 158 points
5) Lipscomb - 156 points
6) Stetson - 140 points
7) Central Arkansas - 136 points
8) North Alabama - 112 points
9) Eastern Kentucky - 96 points
10) Kennesaw State - 82 points
11) Bellarmine - 78 points
12) Jacksonville - 54 points
*(First Place Votes)
