HAMMOND – The new-look Southeastern Louisiana women's basketball team officially opened fall practice on Monday and began preparations for the 2011-12 season, which begins next month.
 
The Lady Lions only return one starter from last season's team that advanced to the Southland Conference Tournament for the third consecutive season. However, among Southeastern's eight newcomers are two 2010-11 NJCAA All-Region performers and four true freshmen who are expected to make an immediate impact.
 
Southeastern head women's basketball coach Lori Davis Jones heads into her 10^th season at the helm of the Lady Lion program with high hopes for her 2011-12 squad.
 
“We're very excited about our prospects heading into the 2011-12 season,” Jones commented. “Our kids came out today with great energy, ready to work and willing to be coached. We have a lot of new faces, so us coming together on and off the court and developing the right type of chemistry is going to be key. We feel like we have made great strides in terms of our overall team speed and athleticism.
 
“Kelli Jenkins is our top returner, but we expect Aja Gibson, Jessica Sommers and Latoria Holder to be much better for us this year now that they have a year of Division I experience,” Jones added. “We're really excited about the addition of junior college standouts Brandi Simmons and Cierra Morris. They both come to us ready to make an immediate impact in our league. We thought following the early signing period that this was the best freshman class we've ever brought in and we've seen nothing so far to change our minds about that.”
 
Jenkins is the lone starter back for the Lady Lions, but returns as the team's top scorer and creator. The Plaquemine, La. native was tied for the team lead with 10.4 points per game in 2010-11, while ranking among the league leaders with 3.6 assists per contest.
 
Jenkins is the clear starting point guard and is part of a point guard tandem that has great potential. Freshman Elizabeth Styles comes to Hammond after being ranked one of South Carolina's top high school guards and is expected to be a more than capable backup for Jenkins.
 
With the return of Gibson and the addition of Simmons, Southeastern will perhaps field its most talented offensive post tandem of Jones' tenure. As a reserve redshirt freshman in 2010-11, Gibson was third on the team with 7.2 points per game and dropped 32 points in an 80-73 win over A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
Simmons, a native of Jackson, Miss., comes to Hammond after two highly productive seasons at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. True freshmen Summer Postell and Hillary Shaffer are expected to provide post depth, along with junior Ja'Lessia Davis and sophomore Kaitlyn Waller.
 
The wing spot features three seniors – Holder, Sommers and Amber Crenshaw – who are expected to see an increase in minutes after serving as reserves last season. Added to the mix are Morris, an All-American at Rock Valley Junior College in 2010-11, and Symone Miller, one of ESPN's top 100 high school guards in the nation.
 
Southeastern will open the season hosting Centenary on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. in the University Center. Jackson State (Nov. 18), Mobile (Nov. 26), Louisiana-Lafayette (Nov. 29), Spring Hill (Dec. 4) and UNO (Jan. 4) will also visit Hammond during the non-conference schedule. Southeastern will also host the first Christmas Classic on Dec. 16-17 that will see it joined in the tournament field by Northwestern State, Alcorn State and Florida A&M.
 
Trips to Texas (Nov. 14), Memphis (Nov. 22), Alabama (Dec. 2), Louisiana-Lafayette (Dec. 11) and Ole Miss (Dec. 29) highlight the non-conference road schedule. Southeastern will open Southland Conference play on Jan. 7, hosting Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m. The Southland Conference Tournament is scheduled for March 6-9 in Katy, Texas.
 
2011-12 Southland Conference Women's Basketball Schedule
 
November
11, CENTENARY, 7 p.m.; 14, at Texas, 8 p.m.; 18, JACKSON STATE, 7 p.m.; 22, at Memphis, 7 p.m.; 26, MOBILE, 3 p.m.; 29, LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE, 7 p.m.
 
December
2, at Alabama, 6:30 p.m.; 4, SPRING HILL, 3 p.m.; 11, at Louisiana-Lafayette, 2 p.m.; 16, ALCORN STATE#, 7 p.m.; 17, FLORIDA A&M#, 4 p.m.; 29, at Ole Miss, 7 p.m.
 
January
4, UNO, 7 p.m.; 7, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN*, 3 p.m.; 14, at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*, 7 p.m.; 18, MCNEESE STATE*, 7 p.m.; 21, at Nicholls*, 3:30 p.m.; 25, at Central Arkansas*, 7 p.m.; 28, NORTHWESTERN STATE*, 3 p.m.
 
February
1, at Lamar*, 7 p.m.; 4, at Sam Houston State*, 2 p.m.; 8, UTSA*, 7 p.m.; 11, at Northwestern State*, 2 p.m.; 15, LAMAR*, 7 p.m., 18, UT ARLINGTON*, TBA; 22, at Texas State*, 7 p.m.; 25, CENTRAL ARKANSAS*, 3 p.m.; 29, at McNeese State*, 7 p.m.
 
March
3, NICHOLLS*, TBA; 6-9, at Southland Conference Tournament$, TBA
 
Southeastern home games in ALL CAPS
# - Christmas Classic (Hammond, La.)
* - Southland Conference game
$ - Katy, Texas