Wednesday, October 23, 2002

FIU picked to win East; Cotton chosen Preseason Player of the Year

lorida International forward Cormisha Cotton has been voted the Sun Belt Conference women's basketball Preseason Player of the Year and the Golden Panthers were selected to win the SBC's East Division as announced at the league's Media Day.

FIU, which finished conference play with a 13-1 mark en route to winning the SBC Tournament title a year ago, picked up eight first-place votes and 52 total points in this season's East Division coaches' poll. Western Kentucky grabbed two first-place votes and 41 points followed by Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State and Arkansas-Little Rock who rounded out the East Division.

Cotton, a 6-2 forward from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., averaged 13.8 points and 7.6 rebounds as a junior. She played a key role in the Golden Panthers' 27-6 record and run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2001-02. She was a SBC All-Tournament selection last year.

Joining Cotton on the Preseason All-SBC Team is fellow FIU senior Mandy Shafer. A native of Eustis, Fla., the 6-0 forward posted 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists her junior campaign.

Cotton and Shafer were two of 10 student-athletes selected to the Preseason All-SBC Team.

The Golden Panthers open the 2002-03 season against Georgia State at the Seminole Classic Nov. 22-23 in Tallahassee, Fla.

Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Jolie McKeirnan, Sr., F, Arkansas State
Ashley Atkinson, Sr., G, Denver
Cormisha Cotton, Sr., F, FIU
Mandy Shafer, Sr., F, FIU
Patrice Holmes, So., G, Middle Tennessee
Princess Moore, Jr., G, New Mexico State
Taneisha Russell, Sr., F, South Alabama
Kristina Covington, Sr., G, Western Kentucky
Leslie Logsdon, Jr., G, Western Kentucky
Shala Reese, Sr., F, Western Kentucky
Honorable Mention
Nicky Eason, So., F, Denver
Sarah Richey, Sr., F, Louisiana-Lafayette
Jennifer Justice, Jr., F, Middle Tennessee
Mari Sanchez, Sr., G, New Mexico State
Vilma Grismanauskaite, Sr., C, North Texas

Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year
Cormisha Cotton, Sr., F, FIU

2002-03 Sun Belt Conference
Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
() = First Place Votes

East Division Points
1. FIU 52 (8)
2. Western Kentucky 41 (2)
3. Middle Tennessee 38 (1)
4. Arkansas State 22
5. Arkansas-Little Rock 12

West Division Points
1. Denver 61 (7)
2. North Texas 52 (2)
3. South Alabama 46 (2)
4. New Mexico State 35
5. New Orleans 25
6. Louisiana-Lafayette 12