NEW ORLEANS – Coming off an impressive first season in a South Alabama uniform, sophomore center Chyna Ellis was selected to the preseason all-Sun Belt Conference Third Team as announced by league office Tuesday morning.  The honor is the first of Ellis' young career.

The three-team, 15-member all-conference squad was chosen by coaches from around the rest of the league.  

Ellis becomes the first sophomore at South Alabama to earn a preseason all-conference selection since 2004-05 when former Jag Whitney Woodard was selected to the preseason all-SBC first team.

In her first season in Mobile, Ellis played in 28 contests, starting 23 as a true freshman.  Ellis averaged 8.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per outing in 23.1 minutes per game during the 2014-15 season.  The Cordova, Tenn., native was third in scoring and led the club on the glass.  Amongst the rest of the league, Ellis ranked fifth in rebounding and led the conference in blocks with 2.0 per contest. Ellis was also tied for fourth in the SBC in offensive rebounds (2.9) and tied for fifth in defensive rebounds (4.9).

Her 56 blocks were the most ever by a South Alabama freshman, a mark in which the 6-2 center set with a six-block outing in the Mitchell Center against UL Monroe.  She ended the season with seven double-doubles and knocked down 41.1 percent of her field-goal attempts.  A true force in the post for the Jaguars, Ellis paced the team in blocks on 22 occasions, recording 17 multi-block performances.

Ellis got off to a outstanding start during conference play last season, recording a season-high 17 points versus Arkansas State in her first league game.  In the season-finale at home against in-state rival Troy, Ellis pulled down a season-best 16 boards.  

As a team, South Alabama was picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll by the league coaches, receiving 26 points.  Arkansas State received a majority of the first-place votes, receiving six of the 11 possible votes.  

All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason First Team
Aundrea Gamble (Arkansas State, Senior, Guard)
Alexius Dawn (Little Rock, Senior, Guard)
Keke Veal (UL Lafayette, Senior, Guard)
Rebekah VanDijk (UT Arlington, Sophomore, Center)
Ashley Beverly Kelley (Troy, Senior, Guard)
 
All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Second Team
Khadija Brown-Haywood (Arkansas State, Senior, Forward)
Makeba Ponder (Georgia State, Soph., Guard)
Shanity James (Little Rock, Senior, Forward)
Kia Wilridge (UL Lafayette, Senior, Guard)
Ayriel Anderson (Texas State, Senior, Guard)
 
All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Third Team
Joi Jones (Appalachian State, Junior, Guard)
Chyna Ellis (South Alabama, Sophomore, Center)
LaShanda Green (UT Arlington, Senior, Guard)
Cierra Johnson (UT Arlington, Sophomore, Guard)
Caitlyn Ramirez (Troy, Junior, Forward)
 
Preseason Student-Athlete of the Year
Aundrea Gamble (Arkansas State, RS-Senior, Guard)
 
Predicted Order of Finish (first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Arkansas State (6) - 113 pts
2. UT Arlington (1) - 97 pts
3. Little Rock (2) - 96 pts
4. UL Lafayette (1) - 95 pts
5. Troy (1) - 86 pts
6. Texas State - 66 pts
7. Georgia State - 57 pts
8. Appalachian State - 40 pts
9. UL Monroe - 38 pts
10. South Alabama - 26 pts
11. Georgia Southern - 12 pts

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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