NEW ORLEANS, La. (Oct. 25) - Louisiana Tech juniors Ayana Walker and Takeisha Lewis earned first team honors on the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference women's basketball team announced by the league Wednesday morning while the Lady Techsters were picked to win the East Division.
Walker, a 6-foot-2 forward from Houston, Texas, was one of five unanimous selections on the 10-member team after averaging 10.1 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds per contest last season. Walker also led Tech and was No. 2 in the conference in blocked shots last year with 56.
Lewis, a 6-foot-2 center, earned her accolades after 8.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in only 17 minutes of action last season. The Lisbon, La., native connected on 61 percent of her shots from the field which ranked in the Top 5 in the conference.
"Ayana and Takeisha both have the potential to be two of the top players in the conference," said Tech Head Coach Leon Barmore, who was in New Orleans for the SBC Media Day. "However, they both have to decide if they want to just be good or whether they want to be great. I have been pleased with both of them thus far during practice, but they have be productive for us this season, night in and night out."
Junior guard Brooke Lassiter and junior center Kenya Bibbs both earned honorable mention honors by receiving votes.
Tech, which has lost five of its top players from last year's 31-3 team, received all 12 first place votes to easily outdistance Western Kentucky for first place in the East Division of the conference. Florida International, Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee and Arkansas-Little Rock rounded out the division.
"I am not surprised we are picked to win the division," Barmore said, "but I do know this conference race will be tight this year. You look at our side of the conference and you have the top four teams from the past (in Tech, Western Kentucky, Florida International and Arkansas State). It should be a competitive year in the conference."
Denver received 10 of the 12 first place votes to earn the top seed in the West Division.
With the addition of Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State and North Texas, the conference will be competing in two divisions for the first time in 19 years.
"The intriguing thing about the league is the mystery of the three new teams," Barmore said. "I have to learn about them myself. I do know they all have good coaches, and I think they will surprise some people."
Western Kentucky senior center ShaRae Mansfield earned the preseason Player of the Year honor, while teammate Natalie Powers also earned all-conference honors, making Western and Tech the only two schools with two players on the squad.
Tech opens its exhibition season Nov. 2 against the Houston Jaguars at the Thomas Assembly Center at 6 p.m.
2000 All-SBC Preseason TeamKeeshia Evans, Arkansas State*Muci Haris, Arkansas-Little RockTakeisha Lewis, Louisiana TechShaRae Mansfield, Western Kentucky*Michaela Pavlickova, Denver*Natalie Powers, Western KentuckyGergana Slavtcheva, Florida International*Jamie Thomatis, Middle TennesseeAyana Walker, Louisiana Tech*Jessica Webb, South Alabama* unanimous selectionSBC 2000 Preseason Coaches PollEast Division1. Louisiana Tech (12) 722. W. Kentucky 563. Florida International 484. Arkansas State 325. Middle Tennessee 316. Arkansas Little Rock 13West Division1. Denver (10) 682. North Texas 533. New Orleans 454. New Mexico State (2) 405. Louisiana-Lafayette 316. South Alabama 15
