Broncbuster women picked sixth in conference

Garden City, KS-With a new coach comes new promise. Some of that potential was realized on Tuesday.

The Garden City women's basketball team was picked sixth in the Jayhawk preseason poll.

"I really don't feed into polls," first-year Head Coach Charinee Mitchell said. "They don't bother me one way or the other."

The season has yet to start, but you get a sense something good is brewing in Garden City.

Following the resignation of Nick Salazar, Mitchell has hit the ground running, bringing in a wealth of new talent mixed with a few returners, including sophomore guard Monica Barefield.

"It's a really long season," Mitchell added. "We haven't even played the first game yet. I really believe these polls are more so for the kids."

Garden City is coming off a ninth-place finish in the conference in 2016-2017 and a first-round tournament exit at the hands of Cowley County.

"Our girls will use this as motivation this year," Mitchell said. "We let them know, but we didn't make a big deal out of it."

Hutchinson was picked to win the league followed by Seward, Cowley, Butler and Coffeyville.

The Broncbusters open the season Friday, Nov. 3 at home vs. Trinidad State. You can hear the game beginning at 5:45 p.m. on 99.9 FM; westenrkansasnews.com/kwkr and KWKR mobile app.