MANHATTAN, Kansas – In advance of the upcoming 2023-24 women’s basketball season, a trio of K-State players received preseason recognition from the league’s coaches on Wednesday. Senior Gabby Gregory was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 team, while senior Ayoka Lee was named to the team for the third time in her career. Junior Serena Sundell was an honorable mention recipient to the preseason squad.

This is the first time since the 2003-04 season in which K-State placed two players on the Preseason All-Big 12 team, when Kendra Wecker and Nicole Ohlde earned the distinction together.

Gregory, the league’s top returning scorer from the 2022-23 season, established career season-highs in every statistical category including: scoring (648; 18.5 ppg), field goals made and attempted (201-of-489), three-point field goals made and attempted (84-of-257), free throws made and attempted (162-of-193), rebounding (187; 5.3 rpg), assists (71; 2.0 apg) and steals (24; 0.7 spg).

The product of Tulsa, Oklahoma, ranked second in the Big 12 in scoring (18.5 ppg), third in free throw percentage (.839), sixth in field goal percentage (.411) and 3-point field goals made per game (2.4) and eighth for minutes played per game (34.21) She was second in the Big 12 with 19 games of 20 or more points.

Gregory was one of five players in the nation last season to average 18 or more points, five or more rebounds and two or more 3-point field goals made per game. She was the first player in K-State history and one of four in the nation with 625 or more points, 160 or more made free throws and 80 or more connections from beyond the arc.

She ranked second in school history for free throws made in a season (162) and set the school record for free throws made by a senior in a season.

Prior to missing the 2022-23 season due to the rehabilitation from a knee injury, Lee was a First Team All-American by The Athletic and Sports Illustrated, a Second Team All-American by the Associated Press and USBWA, a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention recipient, a finalist for the 2022 Lisa Leslie Award, a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection by the league’s coaches and garnered her first selection to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team in the 2021-22 season.

Lee completed the 2021-22 season with career-highs in a number of statistical categories including points (727), points per game (22.0), field goals made and attempted (296-526), free throws made and attempted (135-175), rebounds (339), blocks (95), steals (39), assists (23) and double-doubles (20).

In her career, Lee ranks ninth in school history for points scored with 1,661, sixth for rebounds with 887, third for blocks with 235, sixth for field goals made with 665 and sixth for free throws made with 331. She is also second for double-doubles with 49.

Sundell expanded upon her debut season in 2021-22 with an exemplary 2022-23 campaign, as she carded career season-highs in a number of categories including: scoring (501; 13.9 ppg), field goals made (157), field goal percentage (.489), free throws made and attempted (165-of-206), rebounding (174; 4.8 rpg), blocks (26; 0.7 bpg) and steals (67; 1.9 spg). Sundell’s 184 assists last season set the school record for assists in a sophomore season and ranked sixth-most for a season in program history.

Sundell set the school records for free throws made and attempted in a season with 165-of-206.

The native of Maryville, Missouri, ranked 11th in scoring in the Big 12, fourth in assists (5.11 apg), fifth in steals (1.86 spg), ninth in assist/turnover percentage (1.48), ), 10th in minutes played per game (33.42), 10th in free throw percentage (.801) and 11th in blocks per game (0.71 bpg).

With her two-season total of 852 points and 360 assists, Sundell is the first Wildcat in program history to register 850 or more points and 350 or more assists by the conclusion of their sophomore season. With 148 points, Sundell would become the 45th player in program history with 1,000 or more career points.

Sundell’s career assist total of 360 ranks 12th on the K-State career assists list. She has led K-State in assists in 56 of her 69 career games.

Joining Gregory and Lee on the 2023-24 Preseason All-Big 12 Team were: Sarah Andrews and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs of Baylor, Emily Ryan of Iowa State, Zakiyah Franklin and Taiyanna Jackson of Kansas, Skylar Vann of Oklahoma, DeYona Gaston and Rori Harmon of Texas and JJ Quinerly of West Virginia.

Among the honorable mention recipients with Sundell were: Lauren Gustin of BYU, Holly Kersgieter of Kansas, Lior Garzon of Oklahoma State, Sedona Prince of TCU, Shaylee Gonzales and Aaliyah Moore of Texas and Bailey Maupin of Texas Tech.

Harmon of Texas was named the 2023-24 Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year. Jada Walker of Baylor was named the 2023-24 Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year, while Madison Booker of Texas was chosen the 2023-24 Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year.

The Wildcats enter the 2023-24 season with the return of 10 letter winners, including four starters from last season’s 2023 WNIT squad. The Wildcats will be led by 2022 All-American center Ayoka Lee, who returns for her senior season, senior guard and 2023 All-Big 12 First Team selection Gabby Gregory, and the junior trio of Brylee Glenn, Jaelyn Glenn, and Serena Sundell.

The 10 returning letter winners were responsible for 84 percent of K-State’s scoring, 82 percent of the team’s assists, and 67 percent of the team’s rebounding in the 2022-23 season. The Wildcats will also welcome transfers Imani Lester and Zyanna Walker, redshirt sophomore Gisela Sanchez, and freshmen Alexis Hess and Taryn Sides.

K-State women’s basketball season tickets for the 2023-24 season are available now for purchase. For more information on season ticket packages for the Wildcats’ home schedule, contact the K-State Athletics Ticket Office by calling 1-800-221-CATS or visit www.kstatesports.com/tickets.