RICHARDSON, Texas – The Angelo State University women's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, announced by the league Monday morning, while junior guard Majik Esquivel was named a Player to Watch. 
 
The Rambelles received 594 points in voting conducted by the conference's head coaches, sports information directors and one media representative from each institution. Angelo State was picked to repeat its sixth-place finish from the 2025-26 season. 
 
Texas Woman's, West Texas A&M, UT Tyler, Lubbock Christian and Eastern New Mexico occupied the top five spots in the preseason poll. St. Mary's, UT Dallas, UT Permian Basin and St. Edward's followed the Belles to round out the top 10. 
 
Esquivel leads the Blue and Gold's preseason recognition after earning First Team All-Lone Star Conference honors last season. The Lubbock, Texas, native ranked second in the conference with 17.1 points per game and connected on 60 3-pointers during the 2025-26 campaign. 
 
The Belles enter the new season looking to build on a strong finish to conference play last year. Angelo State put together a 10-game winning streak spanning more than a month during the second half of the LSC schedule, finishing 15-12 overall and 13-7 in conference play to earn the No. 6 seed in the LSC Championship Tournament. 
 
The Rambelles open the 2026-27 season Friday, Oct. 30, against New Mexico Highlands at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic in Canyon, Texas.