Auburn Women Picked 8th In Media Poll

BIRMINGHAM - The Auburn women’s basketball team was picked to finish eighth in the SEC in the league’s preseason poll by voting of a select panel of both SEC and national media members, the Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday.

“This is a hungry group and they are working hard to prove themselves in this tough conference and defend their SEC title,” said Auburn head coach Nell Fortner. “We have some strong athletes and a somewhat unknown group of players that I am enjoying coaching.”

LSU was tabbed as the preseason favorite, picking up 206 points and 12 of the 20 first-place votes. Tennessee followed in second with 190 points and six first-place votes, followed by Georgia (156) and Vanderbilt (126). The Bulldogs and Commodores each had a first-place vote in the poll.

Mississippi State (120) followed in fifth while Florida (105) rounded out the top half of the league. Arkansas (92) finished seventh in voting, followed by Auburn (85), Ole Miss (70), South Carolina (61), Kentucky (40) and Alabama (24).

Points were compiled on a 12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Each media member also voted for one team as an overall conference champion and a five-player All-SEC Team.

The 2009-10 SEC Media Preseason Poll tips off SEC Basketball Media Days, October 22 at the Birmingham Marriott in Alabama. The SEC Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll will be released on Thursday, Oct. 29.