MOBILE, Ala. ? South Alabama senior guard Monique Jones was selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team as announced by the league on Monday at the annual Men’s and Women’s Basketball “Media Day” event.  The Lady Jags were also picked to tie for fourth-place with Troy in the East Division this upcoming season in the preseason poll.  Both the all-conference teams and the preseason division rankings were selected by the 13 league head coaches.

Last season, Jones was the only Lady Jag to start all 30 games.  In her first season at South Alabama, Jones had an immediate impact on the Jaguar offense ranking second on the club in points per game with 11.0 per contest and knocking down a team-best 58 three-pointers.  In conference play, Jones was just as consistent, averaging 11.3 ppg and 3.2 rpg.  She recorded 17 double-digit performances in her 30 games, including five 20-point performances.  Jones led USA in scoring on nine occasions and was selected to the LIU Turkey Classic All-Tournament team.  The Ferriday, La., native also ranked 21^st in the Sun Belt in scoring and second in the conference in three-pointers per game with 1.93.  Last season against Florida Atlantic, Jones keyed a huge second half rally, connecting on seven of her 13 attempts, including going 6-for-8 in the second stanza.  Her seven three-pointers against the Owls set both a new South Alabama individual record for three-pointers in a game and a new overall individual Mitchell Center record.

Joining Jones on the all-SBC Third Team were Anshel Cooper (UALR), Iva Ciglar (Florida International), LeJenna Howard (Louisiana-Monroe) and Talicia Sanders (North Texas).  UALR led the way with three all-conference selections, while Western Kentucky’s Crystal Kelly was named the Preseason Player of the Year.

In the East, the Lady Toppers picked up nine of the 13 first place votes to come in as the division-favorite heading into the season.  Defending Sun Belt Champion Middle Tennessee picked up the other four votes to come in second.  Florida International (Third), Troy and the Jags (Tied for Fourth) and Florida Atlantic (Sixth) rounded out the rest of the division.

UALR was chosen as the favorite to win the West this coming season.  The Trojans captured six of the 13 first place votes but were closely followed by Denver in second with three first-place votes.  North Texas (third) and Arkansas State (fourth) also each picked up two first-place votes of their own.  Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe and New Orleans rounded out the rest of the division in that order.

NOTE: It was also announced by the Sun Belt Conference Executive Committee on Monday that Hot Springs, Ark., has been selected to host the league's annual men's and women's basketball tournaments from 2009-2011.  The tournament will be held at the city's Summit Arena which adjoins the Hot Springs Convention Center.  

2007-08 Women’s Preseason All-Sun Belt Team

First Team

Kim Sitzmann (UALR, So., G)

LaQuetta Ferguson (Florida International, Sr., G)

Amber Holt (Middle Tennessee, Sr., F)

Le’Della English (New Orleans, Sr., G)

Crystal Kelly (WKU, Sr. F)

Second Team

Nikya Hughes (UALR, Sr., F/C)

Alisha Godette (Denver, Sr., G)

Onna Charles (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., G)

Amy Lewis (Troy, Sr., G)

Dominique Duck (WKU, Jr. F)

Third Team

Anshel Cooper (UALR, So., G)

Iva Ciglar (Florida International, Jr., G)

LeJeanna Howard (Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., G)

Talicia Sanders (North Texas, Sr., F)

Monique Jones (South Alabama, Sr., G)

Preseason Player of the Year - Crystal Kelly (WKU, Sr. F)

Women’s Preseason Coaches Poll

As voted on by all 13 league head coaches

First place votes in parenthesis