NEW ORLEANS – University of South Alabama junior Ken Williams was selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Team, and the Jaguars were voted to finish seventh in the coaches' poll, the league announced Tuesday morning.

Williams earns preseason recognition from the conference for the first time and comes on the heels of being a second-team pick after the 2014-15 campaign.

Last season the Houston, Texas native ranked eighth in the Sun Belt in scoring average (15.7 ppg) and 3-point percentage (.370), second in 3-pointers (2.6 pg) and ninth in free-throw percentage (.791), and became the 21st player in school history to have 500 points in a season; his total of 519 is 17th in school history and fourth-most among all sophomores.

Williams' accuracy beyond the arc led to 87 triples which is fifth in a single season at South Alabama and a sophomore record.

In Sun Belt games, he was fourth in scoring (18.0 ppg) and 3-point percentage (.403), and first in 3-pointers (2.8), thanks in part to a four-game run in January where he scored 23 points or more in each contest, the longest by a Jaguar since 1988-89.

Williams led the team in five offensive categories, and paced the squad with 26 double-digit scoring games and 10 outings with 20 points or more.

South Alabama received 56 points in the preseason poll. Louisiana-Lafayette garnered 119 points and nine of 11 first-place votes, while defending champion Georgia State earned 108 points and two first-place nods.

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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Preseason Coaches Poll
(First place votes in parenthesis)
Rank    Team    Points (1st Place Votes)
1    UL Lafayette    119 (9)
2    Georgia State    108 (2)
3    UL Monroe    97
4    Arkansas State    71
5    Little Rock    68
6    Appalachian State    64
7    SOUTH ALABAMA    56
8    UT Arlington    48
    Texas State    48
10    Georgia Southern    28
11    Troy    19

Preseason First Team All-Conference
Anthony Livingston (Arkansas State, Jr., F, Interdisciplinary Studies)
Shawn Long (UL Lafayette, Sr., F/C, General Studies)
Ken Williams (South Alabama, Junior, Guard, Interdisciplinary studies)
Emani Gant (Texas State, Senior, Forward)
Wesley Person (Troy, Sophomore, Guard, Global Business)

Preseason Second Team All-Conference
Frank Eaves (Appalachian State University, Senior, Guard, Management)
Markus Crider (Georgia State, Senior, Forward, Speech)
Kevin Ware (Georgia State, Senior, Guard, Religious Studies)
Josh Hagins (Little Rock, Senior, Guard, Health Science)
Majok Deng (UL Monroe, Senior, Forward, General Studies)

Preseason Third Team All-Conference
Jeremy Hollowell (Georgia State, RS-Junior, Forward, Interdisciplinary Studies)
Roger Woods (Little Rock, Senior, Forward, Criminal Justice)
Devonta Walker (UL Lafayette, Sr., F, General Studies)
Jay Wright (UL Lafayette, Jr., G, General Studies)
Nick Coppola (UL Monroe, Junior, Guard, Risk Management and Insurance)

Preseason Student-Athlete of the Year
Shawn Long (UL Lafayette, Sr., F/C, General Studies)