Oct. 12, 2006

FRISCO, Texas - Southeastern Louisiana and Texas-Arlington have been picked in the Southland Conference preseason women's basketball polls to win their respective East and West regular-season divisional title in 2006-07. The head coaches and sports information directors of the league were asked to provided a predicted order of finish for the upcoming season. The poll results of the two groups matched with the only differences being the distribution of a few first-place votes.

The silver anniversary of women's basketball will take on a new look. For the first time in Southland Conference women's basketball history, the league will contest its regular season with divisional play. The change is a result of the SLC expanding to an all-time high 12 members on July 1 as Central Arkansas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi were welcomed to the conference. Divisional play will consist of UCA, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana in the East. The West will be made up of SHSU, Stephen F. Austin, A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas State, UT-Arlington and UTSA.

A regular-season championship would be the first for the SLU Lady Lions, who have not finished higher than fifth (pre-divisional days) since joining the SLC for the 1998-99 season. The Mavericks, runner-ups to Stephen F. Austin a year ago, own one championship trophy, winning the 2005 title.

SFA has been picked second by the head coaches in the West, edging third-place UTSA. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas State and Sam Houston State round out the West rankings in both polls.

The East stacks up with Northwestern State, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls State and Central Arkansas placing behind SLU in each poll.

The top two East divisional finishers and top two West divisional finishers will automatically qualify for the 2007 O'Reilly Auto Parts SLC Tournament. The next four teams with the best winning percentages will round out the field of eight. NOTE: Central Arkansas is ineligible for tournament consideration due to its membership transition from Division II to I. Should UCA finish the regular season in a position that would normally qualify for the tournament, it will be removed from consideration and replace with the next available team.

2006-07 Southland Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Polls
Coaches Poll (1st-place votes) Points
EAST DIVISION
1. Southeastern Louisiana (8) 62
2. Northwestern State (2) 47
3. Lamar (2) 39
4. McNeese State 37
5. Nicholls State 32
6. Central Arkansas 29

WEST DIVISION
1. Texas-Arlington (7) 62
2. Stephen F. Austin (3) 51
3. Texas-San Antonio (2) 47
4. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 38
5. Texas State 32
6. Sam Houston State 16

Sports Information Directors (1st-place votes) Points EAST DIVISION 1. Southeastern Louisiana (8) 66
2. Northwestern State (1) 50
3. Lamar (3) 47
4. McNeese State 44
5. Nicholls State 24
6. Central Arkansas 21

WEST DIVISION
1. Texas-Arlington (5) 60
2. Stephen F. Austin (4) 54
3. Texas-San Antonio (2) 49
4. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1) 45
5. Texas State 31
6. Sam Houston State 13