MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — Tynice Martin’s suspension did not keep the senior guard from being omitted from the preseason all-Big 12 team on Wednesday.
Martin was the Mountaineers’ lone representative on the team, although sophomores Kari Niblack and Madisen Smith were both listed on the honorable mention list.
Baylor senior forward Lauren Cox was named the league’s preseason Player of the Year. She averaged 13.0 points and 8.3 rebounds for the national champions.
She was joined by teammate Te’a Cooper as the Big 12’s preseason Newcomer of the Year. Cooper is a graduate transfer from South Carolina.
Texas freshman Celeste Taylor was the league’s preseason Freshman of the Year.
On July 15, Martin was charged with domestic battery and she was indefinitely suspended on Aug. 3, just prior to the team’s departure to Italy and Greece for a summer exhibition tour.
Martin is on pace to become the school’s all-time leading scorer. She enters this season with 1,588 points and was named the MVP of the 2017 Big 12 tournament.
West Virginia coach Mike Carey has not said if or when Martin would come back to the team.
“We are aware of the situation and it will be handled appropriately according to West Virginia University’s policies and procedures surrounding student conduct,” he said in a statement from August.
Martin has a hearing scheduled at Monongalia County Magistrate Court on Nov. 6.
The Mountaineers begin their regular season on Nov. 7, at home against St. Francis.
Big 12 preseason awards
Player of the Year: Lauren Cox, Baylor.
Newcomer of the Year: Te’a Cooper, Baylor
Freshman of the Year: Celeste Taylor
Preseason all-Big 12 team
Lauren Cox, Baylor
Juicy Landrum, Baylor
NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
Kristin Scott, Iowa State
Peyton Williams, K-State
Ana Llanusa, Oklahoma
Vivian Gray, Oklahoma State
Joyner Holmes, Texas
Sug Sutton, Texas
Brittany Brewer, Texas Tech
Tynice Martin, West Virginia
Honorable Mention: Te’a Cooper (Baylor), DiDi Richards (Baylor), Ashley Joens (Iowa State), Rachel Ranke (K-State), Kianna Ray (TCU), Charli Collier (Texas), Lashann Higgs (Texas), Chrislyn Carr (Texas Tech), Kari Niblack (West Virginia) and Madisen Smith (West Virginia).
TWEET @bigjax3211
