Razorback Report: SEC Media doesn't favor Arkansas much in preseason polls

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Arkansas Razorbacks' athletics

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Kelsi Musick talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — First-year Arkansas women's basketball coach didn't get a big vote of confidence from her peers this week.

Kelsi Musick will lead an Arkansas team that's been predicted to finish last in the SEC standings when the season wraps. The Razorbacks were also one of the teams to not have a player selected to a preseason All-SEC team.

That's not surprising with a new coach taking over a program that finished last season 10-22 overall and 3-14 in SEC games. However, the Razorbacks will use that prediction as a motivator for the upcoming season.

"Well, definitely used as fuel," Musick said at her SEC Media Day appearance on Tuesday. "I think it should allow us to really work extremely hard and to move up in the conference is definitely a goal."

The question is whether Musick can repeat what her former counterpart, Mike Neighbors, did in his first season in Fayetteville.

That's a tall order to fill, but Musick is saying all the right things to give Arkansas fans hope about its women's basketball program.

"We really want players to focus on just having faith in each other, faith in our system, faith in our program, running it like a true family, and being fearless on and off the floor," Musick said. "I think that's extremely important. Our energy and passion is something we want to be known for in this new era of Arkansas women's basketball."

Still, despite coming from a less competitive conference, Musick isn't afraid of facing the SEC grind.

"I've always said, even when I was a younger coach, if you want to be the best, you have to play the best, and we have that opportunity each and every night here in the SEC," Musick said. "So, I see it as an opportunity, and a blessing, and who wouldn't want to be in the SEC?"

2025-26 SEC Preseason Media Polls

Predicted Order of Finish

1. South Carolina
2. Texas
3. LSU
4. Tennessee
5. Oklahoma
6. Ole Miss
7. Vanderbilt
8. Kentucky
9. Alabama
10. Mississippi State
11. Florida
12. Georgia
13. Missouri
14. Texas A&M
15. Auburn
16. Arkansas

Preseason Player of the Year

Madison Booker, Texas

Preseason All-SEC First-Team

Flau’Jae Johnson, LSU
Reagan Beers, Oklahoma
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Madison Booker, Texas
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

Preseason All-SEC Second Team

Clara Strack, Kentucky
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina
Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
Rori Harmon, Texas

   

Yesterday’s Results

Women’s Golf: Arkansas at Dale McNamara invitational

Today’s Schedule

No games scheduled.

Did You Notice?

• Arkansas defensive lineman Cam Ball has been named a semifinalist for the 2025 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award as announced by the Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation on Tuesday. The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field. Ball is one of the nation’s most active players in the community, having been involved in more than 120 community service events in addition to founding his own non-profit and organizing a teddy bear drive for local children’s hospitals

• After a 1-0 loss to then-No. 22 Georgia, the Arkansas soccer team has fallen backways in the the top 25 rankings and SEC standings. The Razorbacks fell five spots to No. 11 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, but still maintained a share of the conference's top spot with No. 4 Tennessee.

We’ll Leave You With This

Alvin Robertson and Joe Klein lead 16-1 Arkansas against No. 19 Wake Forrest on the road in a huge Super Bowl Sunday game during the Eddie Sutton era.

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Alvin