Utah Women’s Basketball Represents On Preseason All-Conference Team
Oct 9, 2023, 1:49 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah women’s basketball is gearing up for another big season and they are very well-represented in the Pac-12 Preseason All-Conference Team.
Gianna Kneepkens, Jenna Johnson, and Alissa Pili all earned recognition from the media early Monday as impact players in a league that runs deep in talent for women’s hoops.
Kneepkens and Pili received Preseason All-Conference honors while Johnson received an honorable mention nod.
Time to get to work @alissa_pili @giannakneepkens @jenna_johnson22 💪😈 #GoUtes https://t.co/BYawMnCki1 pic.twitter.com/AQndlv44gu
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) October 9, 2023
About Utah Women’s Basketball
However, the team has their sights set on more in the coming year and Kneepkens, Pili, and Johnson will once again be big factors.
Kneepkens ended last season 16th in the nation from the three at 42.3 percent while also being a top 5 candidate for the Cheryl Miller award. The talented guard averaged 15.3 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game and 2.06 assists per game. Kneepkens also averaged .498 from the field, .423 from the three and 83.1 percent from the line.
Our WBCA All-American Honorable Mention @giannakneepkens snags an unanimous spot on the Preseason All-Conference Roster #goutes pic.twitter.com/THZMLvQNUG
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) October 9, 2023
Pili meanwhile became the first player in program history to earn Pac-12 Player of the Year while also becoming the first player in Utah history to earn WBCA All-American honors as well as USBWA and AP Second Team All-America honors. Pili finished the 2022-23 season as a Naismith Trophy Player finalist.
Utah’s bullying forward averaged 20.7 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists while shooting .590 from the field, .426 from the three and .797 from the free throw line.
The 2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year @alissa_pili ready for her senior szn 😈 #goutes pic.twitter.com/NNEf9Iv8dy
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) October 9, 2023
Finally, Johnson finished last year averaging 11.9 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game while scoring in double figures 19 times and leading the Utes in scoring three times. Johnson scored 20 or more points seven times and had two double-doubles while starting in all 32 games.
We see you @jenna_johnson22 👀 #goutes pic.twitter.com/TvT8H66DCf
— Utah Women’s Basketball (@UTAHWBB) October 9, 2023
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
