IRVING, Texas – Western Kentucky women’s basketball has been picked second in the annual Preseason Conference USA Coaches’ Poll as announced by the league office Friday afternoon, picking up eight first-place votes to sit just behind Middle Tennessee at the top of the standings.

WKU’s eight first-place votes were a league high, topping the six received by the Blue Raiders. Now in their fourth year as members of C-USA, the Lady Toppers have never been picked lower than third in the preseason poll and have been chosen in the top two in three of the four campaigns.

Over the last three seasons, the Lady Toppers have posted an 84-19 record (.816); the 84 victories for WKU are the most in a three-season span by any team in C-USA’s history.

The Lady Toppers have also captured a pair of C-USA Tournament championships, including the 2017 crown after a 67-56 win over Southern Miss on March 11, and have advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice, narrowly falling to Texas and Ohio State by a combined nine points.

In conference play, WKU posted its first undefeated home record (9-0) since the 2007-08 season inside E.A. Diddle Arena last season. Since joining C-USA, the Lady Toppers own a 47-7 mark (.870) against conference opponents during the regular season and have won 15 or more C-USA matchups in each of their three seasons.

In addition, for the first time in program history, the Lady Toppers have put together three consecutive 27-win seasons, including the second 30-win season in school history in 2014-15.

WKU is set to open the 2017-18 season with an exhibition matchup against Union (Tenn.) inside E.A. Diddle Arena on Nov. 2; the Lady Toppers will then go on the road to open the regular season, squaring off against Missouri in the 2017 Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa, on Nov. 10 before battling either Iowa or Quinnipiac on Nov. 11.

The Lady Toppers will open their regular season home schedule Tuesday, Nov. 14, against seven-time NCAA Final Four participant Notre Dame, in what could potentially be WKU’s first matchup against a top-five opponent since taking on then-No. 4 Louisville on Nov. 27, 2013.

2017-18 Preseason C-USA Coaches’ Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)

1. Middle Tennessee (6)

2. WKU (8)

3. Louisiana Tech

4. Charlotte

5. Rice

6. Southern Miss

7. UAB

8. North Texas

9. Marshall

10. Old Dominion

11. UTEP

12. UTSA

13. Florida Atlantic

14. FIU