FRISCO — Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin and Nicholls have been selected as the preseason favorites to win the Southland Conference men's basketball regular-season championship by a vote of the league's coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Wednesday.
Sam Houston State received the most first-place votes in the coaches' poll and tied for the most first-place votes in the SID poll.
The Bearkats were picked in both polls to successfully defend its division title from a season ago, collecting seven first-place votes and 61 points in the coaches' poll and five first-place votes and 58 points in the SID poll. The coaches picked SFA to defend its East Division title with 58 points, while the SIDs think Nicholls will improve last year's second-place divisional finish to win the East Division this season.
Southland Preseason
Men's Basketball Polls
Coaches
First-place votes, Total votes
East Division
1.Stephen F. Austin (5), 58; 2. Nicholls (4), 56; 3. Southeastern Louisiana (3), 48; 4. Northwestern State, 41; 5. McNeese State, 25; 6. Central Arkansas, 18.
First-place votes, Total votes
West Division
1. Sam Houston State (7), 61; 2. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (4), 57; 3. UTSA (1), 45; 4. UT Arlington, 36; 5. Lamar 30; 6. Texas State, 17.
Sports Information Directors
First-place votes, Total votes
East Division
1. Nicholls (5), 58; 2. Southeastern Louisiana (4), 54; 2. Stephen F. Austin (3), 54; 4. McNeese State, 33; 5. Northwestern State, 29; 6. Central Arkansas, 18.
West Division
1. Sam Houston State (5), 58; 2. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (4), 54; 3. UTSA (2), 48; 4. UT Arlington (1), 43; 5. Lamar, 25; 6. Texas State, 18.
FRISCO — Stephen F. Austin and Lamar are the favorites to win the Southland Conference East and West Divisions in the 2009-10 preseason coaches' and sports information director's womens basketball polls that were released today by the league office.
The Southland began divisional play in the 2006-07 season when Central Arkansas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi joined the league. It was decided at the time that Lamar and Stephen F. Austin would switch divisions every third season to help keep a fair balance between the divisions. The 2009-10 season marks the second season under the current alignment.
In the coaches' poll, Stephen F. Austin received a commanding nine first-place votes with 63 points and 10 first-place votes with 65 points in the SID poll. Lamar received six first-place votes with 59 points in the coaches' poll and five first-place votes with 56 points in the SID poll.
With coach Lee Ann Riley at the helm, the Ladyjacks have claimed three regular-season and three tournament crowns. SFA is the only Southland team to have played in the conference postseason every year since the tournament's reinstatement in 1988. The Ladyjacks return all five starters from a 10-win conference season and look to claim its first regular season title since 1996.
2009-10 Southland Women's
Basketball Preseason Polls
First-place votes, Total votes
Coaches
East Division
1. Stephen F. Austin (9), 63; 2. Southeastern Louisiana (2), 52; 3. Northwestern State, 47; 4. McNeese State, 37; 5. Central Arkansas (1), 31; Nicholls, 16.
West Division
1. Lamar (6), 59; 2. UTA (3), 53; 3. UTSA (2), 50; 4. A&M-Corpus Christi (1), 34; 5. Texas State, 30; 6. Sam Houston State, 20
Sports Information Directors
First-place votes, Total votes
COACHES
East Division
1. Stephen F. Austin (10), 65; 2. Southeastern Louisiana (1), 52; 3. Northwestern State (1), 50; 4. McNeese State, 35; 5. Central Arkansas, 26; 6. Nicholls, 16.
West Division
First-place votes, Total votes
1. Lamar (5), 56; 2. UTA (5), 55; 3. UTSA (1), 49; 4. Texas State, 35; 5. A&M-Corpus Christi (1), 31; 6. Sam Houston, 19.
2009-10 Preseason All-Southland
Conference Men's Basketball Teams
First Team
* Kevin Palmer, Sr., G/F, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; * Corey Allmond, Sr., G, Sam Houston; * Marquez Haynes, Sr., F/G, UTA; * Ashton Mitchell, Sr., G, Sam Houston; * Anatoly Bose, Jr.,
F, Nicholls.
Second Team
* Devin Gibson, Jr., G, UTSA; Patrick Sullivan, Sr., F/C, Southeastern Louisiana; Justin Reynolds, Jr., F, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Tommy Moffitt, Sr., F, UTA; Omar Johnson, Sr., G
UTSA.
*Returning All-Southland Conference selection
FRISCO — Stephen F. Austin senior guard Whitney Cormier leads a talented class of returning players into the 2009-10 season as the Southland Conference women's basketball preseason teams were announced Wednesday by the league office. Six schools are represented on the two preseason teams with three selections from Lamar and two from UT Arlington and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Cormier, a native of Fort Worth, is the league's lone returning first-team all-conference selection. The team leader in scoring, rebounding and steals, Cormier finished last season ranked second in steals (58), ninth in scoring (12.1) and 10th in field goal percentage (.448) in the Southland.
Lamar leads all teams with three preseason team selections. Senior forwards Brittney Williams and Darika Hill received first-team honors and junior guard Jenna Plumley was selected to the second-team.
Preseason All-Southland Conference
Women's Basketball Teams
First Team
*Whitney Cormier, Sr., G, SFA; * Brittney Williams, Sr., F, Lamar; * Darika Hill, Sr., F, Lamar; * Tamara Simmons, Jr., G, UTA; * Jade Davis, Jr., G, A&M Corpus Christi;
Second Team
* Shalyn Martin, Jr., F, UTA; Amber Gregg, Jr., G, UTSA; Elisa Beagle, Sr., C, A&M Corpus Christi;
Jenna Plumley, Jr., G, Lamar; Victoria Davis, Sr., G, Texas State.
*2008-09 All-Southland Conference Selection
