Coaches pick Lady Vols to win SEC

In the closet vote yet, the Tennessee Lady Vols edged the LSU Lady Tigers by one vote to earn the top spot.

The Southeastern Conference announced its sixth annual women's basketball preseason All-SEC first and second teams Thursday, Oct. 29, to tip-off the 2009-10 season. In addition, the coaches voted on a predicted order of finish, overall champion and a preseason player of the year.

In the closet vote yet, the Tennessee Lady Vols edged the LSU Lady Tigers by one point to earn the top spot. UT garnered 112 points, while the Lady Tigers received 111 points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or their own players.

"I'm surprised that the coaches put us first, but, at the same time, I'm not surprised they put the target on us," said Head Coach Pat Summitt. "There are a lot of great teams in the SEC this year and we will have to come out and play hard for 40 minutes every night."

Following Tennessee and LSU in the predicted order were Mississippi State, Georgia, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. The second six were Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Alabama.

Junior Angie Bjorklund and sophomore Shekinna Stricklen were both selected to the First Team All-SEC squad. Bjorklund, the Lady Vols most experienced returnee, has started in 55 of 66 career games. The Spokane Valley, Wash., was second on the team in 2008-09 with 12.3 ppg, converting on 40.8 percent of her three-point attempts. Bjorklund enters 2009-10 with 130 career threes, just 32 away from third place in the UT annals.

As a freshman in 2008-09 Stricklen led the Lady Vols with 13.3 ppg and 3.0 apg, starting in all 32 games played. The Morrilton, Ark., native pulled down 5.9 rebounds per contest, and was named Freshman of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Joining the pair of Lady Vols on the first team were: C'eira Ricketts (Arkansas), Ashley Houts (Georgia), Angel Robinson (Georgia), LaSondra Barrett (LSU), Allison Hightower (LSU) and Alexis Rack (Mississippi State). Hightower was named the Preseason Player of the Year after averaging 14.8 ppg and 3.1 apg in league outings a season ago.

Sophomore Glory Johnson was the only Lady Vol named to the Second Team All-SEC. The Knoxville native averaged 10.2 ppg and 7.2 rpg, and started 28 of 33 games played as a rookie. Joining Johnson on the second team were: Alli Smalley (Auburn), Porsha Phillips (Georgia), Victoria Dunlap (Kentucky), Bianca Thomas (Ole Miss), Armelie Lumanu (Mississippi State), Chanel Mokango (Mississippi State), Merideth Marsh (Vanderbilt) and Hannah Tuomi (Vanderbilt).

The Lady Vols will face Carson-Newman in their first exhibition contest of the 2009-10 season on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee will officially tip off the season against the Baylor Lady Bears in the State Farm Tip Off Classic on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. in Thompson-Boling Arena. Tickets are still available for both games and can be purchased at www.UTtix.com. For more information on all Lady Vol athletics, visit www.UTLadyVols.com.