Tampa, Fla. – Oct. 11, 2024 – For the fifth straight year, South Florida women’s basketball has been picked to finish first in this year’s rendition of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) preseason coaches poll, as announced by the league office on Friday.
Redshirt senior forward Romi Levy was also selected as the AAC Preseason Player of the Year (Sharing the honor with Tommisha Lampkin, North Texas). Levy also captured a spot on the Preseason All-Conference First-Team, while sophomore guard Vittoria Blasigh and graduate guard Mama Dembele were named to the Preseason All-Conference Second-Team.
The Bulls landed atop the preseason coaches poll with a total of 135 points and eight of 13 first-place votes. North Texas (three first-place votes, 124) and Rice (two first-place votes, 124) tied for second in the poll. Meanwhile, Tulsa (98), UTSA (96), East Carolina (91), Memphis (84), and Temple (78) rounded out the top eight spots. UAB (55), Tulane (40), Charlotte (38), Wichita St. (32), and Florida Atlantic (19), were slotted ninth through 13th on the ledger.
ROMI LEVY HIGHLIGHTS
2023-24: Named American Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year…earned spots on the AAC All-Conference Second Team and AAC All-Newcomer Team…tabbed to AAC Honor Roll six times (Jan. 8, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, Feb. 19, Feb. 26, Mar. 3)…named to West Palm Beach Classic All-Tournament Team…started 28 games for South Florida…collared 24 double-digit scoring games…10 20-plus point performances…one 30-plus point outing…stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, career-high four blocks, and two steals in win at SMU (Mar. 5)…became the first Bull to record 28+ points, eight-plus rebounds, three-plus assists, three-plus steals, and two-plus blocks (Wichita St., Feb. 13) in a single game since 2009-10 per HerHoopStats…led all scorers with 27 points in loss to North Texas (Jan. 20)…had a personal-best 32-point output (career-high 11 field goals made) in win at Tulane (Jan. 6).
VITTORIA BLASIGH HIGHLIGHTS
2023-24: Named American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year…earned AACFreshman of the Week honors a program record six times (Nov. 20, Dec. 11, Jan. 1, Jan. 15, Feb. 5, & Feb. 26) and grabbed the third most freshman of the week honors by an individual in league history…recorded 27 starts for South Florida…20 double-digit scoring performances…seven 20-plus point outings…collected a pair of 30-plus point games… finished the year with 77 3-pointers, which is now tied with Angie Snyder (1991-92) in seventh on the program’s single-season 3-pointers made index… 77 3-pointers also ranks third among freshman in the NCAA this season…Blasigh’s 23 points against UTSA (Mar. 11) was a single point shy of matching the freshman record for points in an AAC tournament game (24 points, Madison Griggs, Memphis vs SMU, 2020)…put up 20 points and four 3-pointers in road win at East Carolina (Feb. 21)…logged 21 points in victory at UAB (Feb. 3)…led all scorers with 26 points in loss at Rice (Jan. 14)…locked in a career-best 35 points against Tulsa (Jan. 10) on 13-of-25 from field-goal range, Blasigh’s 35 points tied for the second most by an AAC individual in conference action this season, Blasigh’s 13 field goals made is the second most field goals made by an AAC individual in conference action this season…had a 31-point output in win versus Gardner-Webb (Dec. 10)…collared 27 points, 10 field goals, seven 3-pointers, and four rebounds in win against UNF (Nov. 19).
MAMA DEMBELE HIGHLIGHTS
2023-24 (Missouri): SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year….named to All-SEC Defensive Team…earned CSC Academic All-District honors….ranked as the top ninth transfer in the nation by ESPN…collared a triple-double and five double-doubles…logged 18 double-digit scoring performances…six games with five-plus steals…14 games with five or more assists and five 10-plus assist performances….finished the year ranked sixth nationally with a 6.5 assists average and 3.3 steals average…locked in 13 points and a career-best 14 assists in first double-double of the season at St. Louis (Nov. 12)…second straight 12-point and career-high 10-steal double-double came against North Alabama (Nov. 14)…third double-double of 10 points and 12 assists versus Missouri St. (Dec. 6)…had a career-best 20 point output at Illinois (Dec. 17)…10 points and 10 rebounds against Alabama (Jan. 7) marked her fourth double-double… against Auburn (Feb. 11), Dembele notched 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists recording Missouri’s first triple-double since 2011.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- South Florida (8) 135
- North Texas (3) 124
Rice (2) 124
4. Tulsa 98
5. UTSA 96
6. East Carolina 91
7. Memphis 84
8. Temple 78
9. UAB 55
10. Tulane 40
11. Charlotte 38
12. Wichita State 32
13. Florida Atlantic 19
First-place votes in parenthesis
Preseason Players of the Year
Tommisha Lampkin, Gr., F, North Texas
Romi Levy, R-Sr., F, South Florida
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Tommisha Lampkin, Gr., F, North Texas
Malia Fisher, Sr., F, Rice
Romi Levy, R-Sr., F, South Florida
Jordyn Jenkins, R-Sr., F, UTSA
Delanie Crawford, Sr., G, Tulsa
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Amiya Joyner, East Carolina
Vittoria Blasigh, So., G, South Florida
Mama Dembele, Gr., G, South Florida
Tiarra East, Sr., G, Temple
Kyren Whittington, R-Sr., G, Tulane
TICKETS
Fans can purchase women’s basketball tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
For complete coverage of USF women’s basketball, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
South Florida women’s basketball has made 18 postseason tournament appearances and had nine NCAA Tournament berths in head coach Jose Fernandez’s 24 seasons. The all-time winningest coach in program history, Fernandez has guided the Bulls to 11 20-win seasons, two WNIT final four appearances, the 2008-09 WNIT championship, has won over 450 career games, and is the all-time wins leader in the American Athletic Conference.
– #GoBulls –
