WBB picked 4th in ASC Poll; Thompson named West Division Preseason Player of the Year

10/14/08

  Landie Thompson - ASC West Division Co-Preseason Player of the Year

Belton, TX - The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women's basketball team is picked to finish fourth in the American Southwest Conference's West Division in the league's annual Preseason Coaches and Media Poll. The Lady Cru picked up 129 total points in balloting of ASC West Division coaches, sports information directors and media members. Defending ASC and national champion Howard Payne University picked up 16 of the 24 first-place votes and 177 total points as the favorite to repeat as West Division champs. Hardin-Simmons University grabbed seven first-place votes and 167 total points for second place and McMurry University notched the other first-place vote and 140 total points for third place. Concordia Texas is picked to finish fifth with 93 total points, Schreiner University totaled 70 points for sixth place, Sul Ross State University was picked seventh with 59 total points and Texas Lutheran University was tabbed eighth with 29 total points.

UMHB's Landie Thompson was also voted ASC West Division Co-Preseason Player of the Year. Thompson, a sophomore post from Lake Travis High School, averaged 15.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots per game last season. She was voted ASC West Division Freshman of the Year and also earned a spot on the ASC All-West Division First Team. Thompson shares West Division Preseason Player of the Year honors with Concordia Texas senior guard Kassandra Bills.

U.T.-Tyler is the favorite to repeat as East Division champions after taking 14 first-place votes and 138 total points. Louisiana College sophomore guard/forward Tillisha Givens was named ASC East Division Preseason Player of the Year.

The UMHB women return ten letter winners and four starters from a team that went 15-12 overall and 12-9 in the ASC last season. The Cru women also advanced to the second round of the ASC Championship Tournament after earning a third straight berth in the ASC Tournament. The Lady Cru will tip off the 2008-09 season on November 22nd with a 3:00 PM start at Southwestern University in Georgetown.