UL Women’s Basketball Picked Sixth In Sun Belt Conference Preseason

Louisiana Ragin' Cajun women's basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was announced on Wednesday.

In addition, junior guards Keke Veal and Kia Wilridge were selected to the All-SBC Preseason team.

Louisiana, who returns four starters from a team that finished 14-16 overall and 7-11 in conference play a season ago, received 64 points in the preseason poll.

Arkansas State, who captured the Sun Belt regular season title, was picked to finish first in the league after picking up 118 points and nine first-place votes.

UALR was a close second with 112 points and two first-place votes, while Texas State was selected to finish third in the conference after collecting 93 points.

Georgia State was tabbed fourth with 83 points, while Troy rounded out the top five with 70 points.

Individually, Veal earned All-SBC Preseason Second Team honors for the second-straight season, after averaging 11.9 points, 3.1 steals and 2.5 assists per game in an injury-shortened season in 2013-2014, while Wilridge was tabbed a third team selection, after averaging 9.0 points, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game last season.

Arkansas St. junior guard Aundrea Gamble was selected the Preseason Player of the Year.

Predicted Order of Finish (first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Arkansas St. (9) - 118 pts
2. UALR (2) - 112 pts
3. Texas St. - 93 pts
4. Georgia St. - 82 pts
5. Troy - 70 pts
6. Louisiana - 64 pts
7. South Alabama - 49 pts
8. Appalachian St. - 47 pts
9. UTA - 44 pts
10. Georgia Southern - 27 pts
11. ULM - 20 pts

All-SBC Preseason First Team
Aundrea Gamble (Arkansas St., RS-Junior, Guard)
Taylor Gault (UALR, Senior, Guard)
Ashley Beverly-Kelley (Troy, Junior, Guard)
Maryah Sydnor (Appalachian St., Senior, Forward)
Erin Peoples (Texas St., Junior, Guard)

All-SBC Preseason Second Team
Hanna Qedan (Arkansas St., RS-Senior, Guard)
Keke Veal (Louisiana, Junior, Guard)
Brittany Logan (Georgia St., Senior, Center)
Anna Claire Knight (Georgia Southern, Senior, Guard)
Kiera Clark (UALR, Senior, Forward)

All-SBC Preseason Third Team
Breanna Hall (South Alabama, Senior, Guard)
Alisha Andrews (Georgia St., Senior, Guard)
Ayriel Anderson (Texas St., Junior, Guard)
Kia Wilridge (Louisiana, Junior, Guard)
Rachel Cumbo (South Alabama, Junior, Guard)

Preseason Player of the Year
Aundrea Gamble (Arkansas St., RS-Junior, Guard)