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MORGANTOWN -- Three members of the West Virginia University women's basketball team have garnered 2021-22 Preseason All-Big 12 accolades, as junior forward Esmery Martinez was unanimously tabbed to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team while senior forward Kari Niblack and junior guard KK Deans earned Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, the league announced on Wednesday.
The teams were voted upon by Big 12 women's basketball coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players. 2021-22 marks the third time in the last four seasons that West Virginia has seen at least three players named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
Martinez, a 2021 All-Big 12 First Team selection, is the first Mountaineer to represent WVU on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team since 2019-20, when Tynice Martin was selected to the squad. Additionally, the Hato Mayor Del Ray, Dominican Republic, native also is the first WVU junior since Martin in 2018-19 to earn a spot on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
Niblack, the 2019 Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year, has now been named Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention for the last three seasons. The Leesburg, Florida, native also was played in and started all 29 games for WVU a season ago and averaged 9.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in 2020-21.
Deans, a 2021 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection, has now been named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team for the first time in her career. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native started all 27 games in which she played a season ago while averaging 13.7 points and 3.7 assists per game.