HAMMOND, La. – For the first time in program history, Southeastern Louisiana University is picked first in the 2021-22 Southland Conference women's basketball preseason poll, which the league office released on Tuesday.
 
Southeastern received 13 of 15 first-place votes to emerge as an overwhelming league favorite heading into 2021-22. HBU was picked second, followed by UIW, Nicholls, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, McNeese, New Orleans and Northwestern State.
 
The Lady Lions return 10 letterwinners, including all five starters and the top seven scorers, from a 2020-21 roster that led SLU to an 11-8 overall record and 10-5 mark in Southland play on the way to a best-ever second place finish in the conference standings.
 
"We're used to being the hunters, but now we're the hunted," Southeastern head women's basketball coach Ayla Guzzardo said. "We have high expectations for this year and we feel like we have everything in place to win a Southland Conference championship."
 
Earlier on Tuesday, Southeastern placed a league-high three players – Morgan Carrier, Hailey Giaratano and Caitlyn Williams – on the preseason All-Southland teams. The trio leads a veteran contingent that also includes key returning contributors Cierria Cunninghan, Breonca Ducksworth, Natalie Kelley, Chrissy Brown, Daija Harvey, Jaylen Huderson and Kacey Bradford.
 
Southeastern will also return 2019-20 Southland Freshman of the Year Alexius Horne, who missed all of 2020-21 due to injury. Newcomers Taylor Bell, Morgan Davis, Jade Brumfield, Dijone' Flowers and Presleigh Scott round out clearly the deepest Lady Lion roster of Guzzardo's tenure.
 
The Lady Lions will open the 2021-22 season at Tulane with a 12 p.m. contest on Nov. 9.
 
2021-22 Southland Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
School (First-place votes) – Points
1. Southeastern (13) – 168
2. HBU (1) – 148
3. UIW – 147
4. Nicholls (1) – 136
5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 133
6. McNeese – 110
7. New Orleans – 90
8. Northwestern State - 89

SOCIAL MEDIA
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CLEAR BAG POLICY
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