CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M's Taytum Stow has been named the 2024 Lone Star Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year announced on Monday morning as the Lady Buffs were picked atop of the league's preseason coaches' poll.
 
The Lady Buffs claimed 23 of the possible 41 first place votes to sit atop of the poll with 674 points followed by DBU (15 first place, 665), Angelo State (two first place, 610), Texas A&M-Kingsville (one first place, 562), UT Tyler (536), Texas Woman's (481), Lubbock Christian (430), Texas A&M International (418), St. Mary's (349), UT Permian Basin (349), Oklahoma Christian (299), St. Edward's (249), Cameron (168), Eastern New Mexico (158), Western New Mexico (140), Midwestern State (130) and Sul Ross State (55).
 
The Hereford product Led the Lady Buffs to the Division II National Title Match in 2023, appearing in 133 sets during 37 matches. She averaged 1.68 kills per set and had a total of 223 kills for the season, earning a .334 hitting percentage.  Stow was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American for the second time in her career.
 
The Lady Buffs finished 33-4 last season as they claimed the Lone Star Conference Tournament Title on their way to hosting the South Central Regional Championships at The Box in Canyon. WT topped UT Tyler, DBU and MSU Denver to claim the program's 16^th Regional Championship followed by victories over Clarion and Tampa to advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship match before falling to Cal State LA.
 
Delaney Fuller of DBU was named the league's preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Texas A&M International's Emma Lade claimed preseason Setter of the Year accolades. The three preseason players of the year headline a list of 48 individuals cited as LSC Players to Watch in the 2024 season. Named by coaches, the list includes 13 returning All-LSC players – eight of those LSC First Team picks; a pair of All-Freshman award recipients; and seven All-Academic Team honorees.
 
The LSC opens its 42nd season of volleyball with a new member among the 17 teams – Sul Ross State – with schedules opening the September 5-7 weekend. The Lone Star Conference Tournament is slated November 21-23 hosted by the No. 1 seeded team. NCAA Division II Championship play begins with regionals December 5-8 and the final rounds December 12-14 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
WT opens the 2024 campaign on September 5-7 as they host the BritKare Lady Buff Classic with matchups against #18 Ferris State, Texas A&M International, #15 Central Missouri and West Virginia State at the WTAMU Fieldhouse "The Box" in Canyon.