Women's basketball in underdog role in 2009
10/22/2008 2:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
KATY, TX -- Texas-San Antonio and Stephen F. Austin are the favorites in the East and West Divisions, respectively, in the 2009 Southland Conference women's basketball race according to the preseason poll of the league's head coaches announced Tuesday, Oct. 21, at SLC Basketball Media Day at the Merrill Center.
UTSA won the Southland Conference post-season tournament championship in 2008, earning the right to represent the league in the NCAA tournament. SFA took 11 of the 12 first place votes in the East Division.
The Sam Houston State Bearkats were tabbed to finish sixth in the SLC West.
"Our job is to put wins on the board and we didn't do that last year," SHSU head coach Brenda Nichols said. "Nobody is going to vote us up high and that's OK. We're the underdogs. Let people come in and overlook us. Who knows what will happen?
"We're looking to make things turn out differently at the end of the year. Our goal is to be in the conference tournament at the Merrill Center in Katy when the smoke clears."
In the East Division, McNeese State is tabbed second, followed by Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana, Central Arkansas and Nicholls State.
UTSA is the pick in the West followed by Texas State-San Marcos, Lamar, Texas-Arlington, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Sam Houston.
Hoping to jump-start a big turnaround from last season's 1-28 record, the Bearkats will be looking to a big batch of fresh faces.
"We have some young players coming in who have been in situations to win it all -- one from a state championship team and another from a squad that was in the state tournament," Nichols said. "The girls that have been here are going to have to challenge the newcomers. Right now, there aren't any starters. Whoever starts is going to have to earn in."
Four starters -- Whitney Smith, Lydia Gonzales, Brittany Brooks and Leasa Ailshie -- return along with guards Ausha Hartley and Ratysha Alexander.
"Obviously, we want to win more games than last year," Nichols said. "With seven new players and six returning, we're excited about everything we've got. We want our girls to battle every game. They're pumped and ready to go."
The 2009 Southland Conference Head Coach's Preseason Poll:
| WEST DIVISION Rank Team (First Place Votes) |
EAST DIVISION Rank Team (First Place Votes) |
| 1. Texas-San Antonio (7) 62 pts | 1. Stephen F. Austin (11) 66 pts |
| 2. Texas St-San Marcos (3) 49 pts | 2. McNeese St. (1) 49 pts. |
| 3. Lamar (1) 48 pts. | 3. Northwestern St. 44 pts. |
| 4. Texas-Arlington (1) 40 pts. | 4. Southeastern LA 42 pts. |
| 5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 28 pts. | 5. Central Arkansas 31 pts. |
| 6. Sam Houston16 pts. | 6. Nicholls St. 16 pts. |
