Having to replace nearly their whole starting lineup, the Lady Vols were picked to finish second in the SEC in a media poll conducted by the conference office and announced Tuesday.
The defending national champions did not have a player picked to the preseason first team, although two Lady Vols - Angie Bjorklund and Shekinna Stricklen - were named to the second team.
Vanderbilt was tabbed as the favorite to win the championship, getting 12 first-place votes to nine for Tennessee. The Commodores received 273 overall points to 261 for Tennessee.
Auburn senior DeWanna Bonner was the overwhelming choice to be player of the year. She received 24 of the 25 vote total.
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.
SEC Champion: Vanderbilt (12), Tennessee (9), Georgia (4)
Order of Finish
1. Vanderbilt 273 points
2. Tennessee 261 points
3. Auburn 246 points
4. Georgia 216 points
5. LSU 183 points
6. Florida 174 points
7. Kentucky 129 votes
8. Ole Miss 126 points
9. Mississippi State 87 points
10. Arkansas 81 points
11. South Carolina 72 points
12. Alabama 25 points
Player of the Year: DeWanna Bonner, Auburn (24), Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt (1)
All-SEC First-Team
DeWanna Bonner, Auburn
Marshae Dotson, Florida
Ashley Housts, Georgia
Shawn Goff, Ole Miss
Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt
All-SEC Second-Team
Whitney Boddie, Auburn
Sha Brooks, Florida
Angel Robinson, Georgia
Allison Hightower, LSU
Angie Bjorklund, Tennessee
Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee
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Comments » 31
blitzshoot writes:
And the gauntlet is layed down.
ladivolfan writes:
I like the pick. It will make the girls work harder to finish #1.
utvol008 writes:
Shekinna is named to preseason 2nd team as a freshman...congrats girl!
threehundredbowler writes:
This will be the first time in years Pat does not win 30 plus games.She will be hard pressed to win 20 games.Not for lack of talent or coaching,but because of youth and schedule strength.
jsmithnga#207674 writes:
I still remember Candance being picked second as SEC player of the year last year; media and coaches picks mean nothing when the players hit the floor.
ncvol writes:
Well, I reserve any comment until the girls have a couple of games under their belts. I will never under-estimate the Lady Vols with Pat at the helm.
Go Vols !!
SemperVol writes:
Me neither, she won't stand for second place.
pammyvol1000 writes:
We shall see! We shall see!
rclarkvols#224537 writes:
Blasphemous, no way the Lady Vols don't repeat as SEC Champs. This is one of the most talented Tennessee teams ever and they aren't coached by Billy Donnavan. I don't care how young they are Pat will repeat!
MillisaAnn writes:
Come On Lady Vols prove these people wrong.
Go Lady Vols!!!!
max357_2000 writes:
wait till March!!!
bowser writes:
Woa Nellie! It will be hammer time in the SEC for Pat.
98reax writes:
I cannot wait to see who steps up and takes this team over. I just know someone will and if it were not for a certain rehab restriction, I'd betcha one of the 2 I have in mind would have already taken on the job. Vicki Baugh and/or Cait McMahan will lead this team. Angie will be the leading scorer and our freshmen will shake up the SEC.
blitzshoot writes:
Mark your Calendars!!
January 11, 2009 LV at Vandy
March 1, 2009 Vandy at LV ( just before the SEC tourney )
My warning to Vandy, if you're going to beat'em, you better do it this year.
stormblast writes:
Ha! Second?! Silly Rabbits.
This will guarantee a third national championship. This is motivation for the "Raccoon Slayer."
Poor Vandy...
I don't care how many players are gone from this team...our freshmen class (nation's best) is going to be better than most, if not all, teams in the nation with just a couple of months of prep work from the greatest basketball coach of all time.
Go Lady Vols!!!!!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Seems as if the LV raccoon basher has her work cut out for her.
Just use the look, Pat, it'll work. Over 900 wins, glad Phixable not trying to pass her.
volball7222 writes:
It will be a great opportunity for other SEC schools to play with the Lady Vols...until they get half through the league schedule. With the out of conference schedule, this team will grow fast and get it togeather for tournament time. I would hate to play this team late in the season...They will be tough!
cparay#1346966 writes:
So, when the season is over, I vote for Pat and the Lady Vols ...no worry here.......
blitzshoot writes:
Lady Vols! Go get'em. Every year it's a different story on how the the Lady Vols will not do it. Start your own dynasty. Start your own chapter. You are here for a reason.
You are THE BEST!
xvolx writes:
fuller should take this as a slap to the face. It's not nice to fool mother PAT.
BigOrangeVol writes:
Pat is 51-6 versus Candy; 30 of the last 32. Those two wins were under Jim Foster who was 3-22 against the Lady Vols.
Coach Chunky hasn't beaten Pat in 16 attempts. Only four of those 16 games were not double-digit wins by Pat. Maybe Balcomb should focus on basketball rather than parachuting into football stadiums for Chick-fil-A. Hey Melanie, "Eat Mor Chikin"!
BigOrangeVol writes:
Vaughndurbilt needs to change their fight song from Dynamite to (with much respect to Jackson Browne) The Pretender.
"Out into the cool of the evening strolls the Pretender.
She knows that all her hopes and dreams begin and end there.
Ah the laughter of their opponents as they run through the night.
Leaving nothing for the others but to choose off and fight and tear at the world with all their might.
While the Commodore ships bearing their dreams sail out of sight.
Say a prayer for the Pretender who started out so young and strong only to surrender."
I like Vandy almost as much as Coach Cafego did.
airship writes:
it aint over till the fat lady sings!!!!!!
LadyVolFanForever writes:
Vandy will be a force to be reckoned with this year as they have some very talented players returning.
Our Lady Vols will have to find their places on the team and learn to play as a team. I expect Cait, Angie and Vicki to play the role as leaders both on and off the court. We know we have the best coaching staff so it is up to the players to live up to their potential and gel together. All they have to do is remember why they wanted to become Lady Vols !
I wish them the best and totally support them !
rockytopron writes:
"hard pressed to win 20 games"? Have you not been paying attention the last 10 years? Are you really that clueless to her coaching abilities?
If she can take some of the teams she had before the original "super six" to the final four year after year, she can take these girls to the final four as well.
orangesox writes:
Pat's the greatest there ever was, no doubt. But let's don't be naive. A Final Four is probably asking a lot of such a young, inexperienced team.
98reax writes:
We are not wearing orange-colored glasses this season. We know it will be a rebuilding year. We know without glimmer of doubt, Pat Summitt will get the best effort out of these players, or she will send them packing.
There'll be no leaving a player on the bench because she likes the other better. She will play the one who can get the job done, the one who puts forth the effort, the one who buys into, lock, stock and barrel the Lady Vol way. No outside influence will jeopardize the development and/or chemistry of this team as long as Pat is in charge.
Finally, perhaps unlike some others coaches in our university, Pat to step aside if and when she is no longer producing the results she's set forth in her goals for that particular team.
Involitrust writes:
I never expect anything less from Pat... I'm sure this will only drive the team,and her more.
Go Lady Vols!!!!!!!
houvol#438636 writes:
I think the Lady Vols will struggle a bit. However, come tourny time LOOK OUT!
tnbigg writes:
I guess when we look back after the upcoming season and The Lady Vols have put this "prediction" to bed they will probably enjoy yet another National Championship trophy. This team, as well coached as they are and always have been will be a force to be reckoned with...even for Vandy...
smokyredbone writes:
It's nice to have a coach that has never beatin the Lady Vols picked in front! Another little thing we can steal from Vandy!!!!! go vols beat vandy!
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