LEXINGTON, Ky. – With the annual Southeastern Conference Women’s Basketball Tipoff event beginning Thursday, Oct. 20 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., the league office has announced the 2016 Preseason Media All-SEC Team with University of Kentucky senior guard Makayla Epps (pictured) being one of five players to earn the preseason recognition.

The preseason honor adds to Epps’ already lengthy list of recognition as she has been named to College Sports Madness’ and The Sporting News’ Preseason All-America First Team and Athlon Sports Preseason All-America Second Team. Last season, Epps was tabbed honorable-mention All-America by both The Associated Press and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

The native of Lebanon, Ky., had an amazing junior season for Kentucky, playing in 32 games and averaging 17.1 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game with 143 assists and 41 steals. The powerful guard scored 20-plus points 12 times during the season, while scoring in double digits in 29 of her 32 games played. Early in the season, Epps posted the second triple-double in program history with 21 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds against Morehead State. In conference play, Epps averaged 16.1 points per game and became the 31st member of Kentucky’s 1,000-point club, ending her junior season with 1,207 career points. She enters her senior season 19th all-time on Kentucky’s career scoring list.

Epps was a clutch performer against some of the best teams in the country last season. Against highly ranked Louisville, Duke, South Carolina (twice), Tennessee, Mississippi State and Texas A&M she averaged 18.4 points per game, hitting .486 from the field with 29 assists and 33 rebounds. In the SEC Tournament, Epps averaged 18.3 points per game, adding 12 assists and an impressive .553 shooting clip from the field.

Epps is joined on the Preseason All-SEC Team by South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson and Alaina Coates, Mississippi State’s Victoria Vivians and Tennessee’s Diamond DeShields. Epps, Coates and Vivians all received player of the year votes with Wilson being named the preseason honoree. The Wildcats were picked to finish fourth in the league.

Kentucky will begin the 2016-17 season on Nov. 11 against Miami (Fla.) at 7 p.m. ET inside Memorial Coliseum.

Southeastern Conference Preseason Media All-SEC

Makayla Epps, Kentucky

Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State

Alaina Coates, South Carolina

A’ja Wilson, South Carolina

Diamond DeShields, Tennessee

Player of the Year

A’ja Wilson, South Carolina

Order of Finish

1. South Carolina

2. Mississippi State

3. Tennessee

4. Kentucky

5. Florida

6. Texas A&M

7. Auburn

8. Missouri

9. Vanderbilt

10. Georgia

11. Arkansas

12. LSU

13. Alabama

14. Ole Miss

UK Athletics Photo