Ladyjacks Picked First in SLC East
11/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 4, 2009
FRISCO, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack basketball team has been picked as the SLC East Division favorite according to a preseason poll of the Southland Conference head coaches and sports information directors.
"It's nice to receive that kind of respect from the league," said Ladyjack head coach Lee Ann Riley. "But I believe a big reason for our spot in the polls has to do with the number of returning players we have. Our girls don't really place a lot of stock in the polls. Preseason polls have nothing to do with how you finish at the end of the season."
The Ladyjacks received nine first-place votes and 63 total points to outdistance Southeastern Louisiana in the coaches poll, and 10 first-place votes and 65 points to finish ahead of the Lady Lions in the SID poll.
The SLC West was a little tougher to pick according to the polls. Lamar is the preseason favorite in both polls, but the Lady Cardinals and Texas-Arlington were separated by just a few points. Lamar received six first-place votes, and 59 points to out-distance UTA by six points in the coaches' poll. The Lady Cardinals received five first-place votes and 56 points to beat out UTA by a point in the SID poll. The Lady Mavs garnered three first-place votes in the coaches' poll and five first-place nods in the SID poll.
Along with the preseason polls, senior Whitney Cormier has been named a 2009 First-Team Preseason All-Southland Conference selection. The honor comes following a first-team all-conference selection following her junior year.
"Whitney has earned this honor," said Riley. "She has been a very good player for us over the years, and has really taken her game to another level. We need her to be a rock for us this year and she has that kind of talent.
"Whitney really works hard everyday and wants to be a good player. She is a very coachable athlete, who does everything we ask of her. I expect her to have a big senior season," added Riley.
Cormier led the Ladyjacks last season in scoring (12.1 ppg), rebounds (5.7 rpg) and steals (2.0 spg). She increased her production during conference play averaging nearly 16 points and seven rebounds per game finishing among the league's top 14 in both categories.
-SFA-
2009 SLC Women's Basketball Preseason Polls Coaches' Poll East (First-Place Votes) Pts. West (First-Place Votes) Pts. 1. Stephen F. Austin (9) 63 1. Lamar (6) 59 2. Southeastern Louisiana (2) 52 2. Texas-Arlington (3) 53 3. Northwestern State 47 3. UTSA (2) 50 4. McNeese State 37 4. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1) 34 5. Central Arkansas (1) 31 5. Texas State 30 6. Nicholls 16 6. Sam Houston State 20Sports Information Directors East (First-Place Votes) Pts. West (First-Place Votes) Pts. 1. Stephen F. Austin (10) 65 1. Lamar (5) 56 2. Southeastern Louisiana (1) 52 2. Texas-Arlington (5) 55 3. Northwestern State (1) 50 3. UTSA (1) 49 4. McNeese State 35 4. Texas State 35 5. Central Arkansas 26 5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1) 31 6. Nicholls 16 6. Sam Houston State 19
