FRISCO, Texas - 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 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.

Lamar coach Larry Tidwell enters his third season in Beaumont, Texas, having made two consecutive Southland tournament appearances including reaching the tournament finals in 2008. Tidwell has won 10 conference games in both seasons and won the East Division in 2008. Lamar's 20 wins last season are the most by a Lady Cardinal's squad since the 1991-92 season and Tidwell's first season in 2007-08 was the first winning season for LU in 13 years.

­UT Arlington came in second in both the coaches' and SID polls. The Mavs received three first-place votes with 53 points in the coaches' poll and tied Lamar with five first-place votes with 55 points - one point shy of tying Lamar for the West Division favorite.  Led by third year head coach Samantha Morrow the Mavs made their second appearance in the WNIT last season and have posted a 27-5 conference record in her tenure. UTA is coming off a co-championship season in 2009, their third regular-season title in the last five seasons.

Southeastern Louisiana, winners of two of the last three East Division titles, enters the 2009-10 season picked second in both the coaches' and SID polls. The Lady Lions received two first-place votes with 52 points in the coaches' poll and one first-place vote with 52 points in the SID poll. Coach Lori Davis Jones enters her eighth season in Hammond, La., coming off her best season with 19 overall wins, the most since the 1994-95 season, and the 11 conference wins are the most by an SLU squad since joining the Southland in 1997-98.

UTSA enters the 2009-10 season as two-time defending Southland tournament champions and are picked third in the West Division in both polls. UTSA received two first-place votes with 50 points in the coaches' poll and one first-place vote with 49 points in the SID poll. Coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair, a three-time league coach of the year recipient, is the winningest and longest-tenured coach in school history.

Northwestern State has reached the conference postseason 19 of a possible 22 opportunities, including three consecutive and four-of-five under coach Jennifer Graf. Picked third in both polls in the East Division, the Lady Demons received 47 points in the coaches' poll and a first-place vote with 50 points in the SID poll. The Lady Demons return three starters from an 18-win season and will be playing for its first regular-season title under coach Graf and first since 2004.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi coach Robert Robinson enters his fifth season with the Islanders having reached the Southland tournament each season since joining the league in 2006. The Islanders were picked fourth in the West Division in the coaches' poll receiving one first-place vote with 34 points and fifth in the SID poll receiving one first-place vote with 31 points. A&M-Corpus Christi returns four starters and will also see the return of their starting center, Elisa Beagle after missing last season due to injury.

McNeese State posted 14 wins last season, its most since 1999. The Cowgirls were picked fourth in the East Division in both polls. McNeese received 37 points in the coaches' poll and 35 in the SID poll. The most points by a team without receiving a first-place vote. Coach Brooks Donald Williams enters her third season in Lake Charles, La., having won 24 games overall and has led the Cowgirls to two consecutive Southland tournament appearances.

Texas State snapped a nine year streak of consecutive Southland tournament appearances last season falling just short in the last game of the 2008-09 season. The Bobcats received 30 points and were picked fifth in the West Division in the coaches' poll and were selected fourth in the SID poll with 35 points. Coach Suzanne Fox enters her 13th season with the Bobcats and her 275 career wins are the second-most in league history. 

Central Arkansas enters its third season as a Southland member. The Sugar Bears were picked fifth in the East Division in both polls. UCA received one first-place vote with 31 points in the coaches' poll and had 26 points in the SID poll. Coach Matt Daniel enters his second season in Conway, Ark., and returns two starters with a handful of high ranked prospects to make a run for the Southland tournament.

Nicholls was selected sixth in the East Division in both polls as the coaches' and SIDs each awarded the Colonels 16 points. Coach DoBee Plaisance enters her second season in Thibodaux, La. The Colonels return two starters and welcome seven newcomers in an effort to reach its first Southland tournament since 2005.

Sam Houston State rounds out the final selection in the preseason polls as the Bearkats received a sixth-place ranking in both the coaches' and SID polls. Sam Houston Coach Brenda Welch-Nichols enters her fourth season in Huntsville, Texas and returns four starters from a squad that was ranked as one of the NCAA's top-15 most improved teams in Division I. The Bearkats were winless in conference play in 2007-08 but were 6-10 against conference opponents last season and fell just short of its first Southland tournament appearance since 2004.

The top two teams in each division automatically qualify for the 2010 State Farm Southland Conference Basketball Tournament March 9-12, at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. The four teams with the best winning percentage round out the tournament's field of eight. However, Central Arkansas is ineligible for tournament consideration because of its transition from NCAA Division II to Division I.

2009-10 Southland Women's Basketball Preseason Polls

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