Oct. 21, 2009
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - For the second straight season, Loyola Marymount has been picked second in the West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, the conference office announced Wednesday. LMU garnered one first-place vote and 39 points overall, finishing behind preseason favorites Gonzaga. In addition, the coaches voted junior Renahy Young and sophomore Alex Cowling to the 10-member WCC Preaseason All-Conference team.
The Lions return 10 letterwinners and four starters from last season's team that went 18-12 overall and tied for fourth in the WCC with a 7-7 mark, advancing to the semifinal of the 2009 WCC Tournament. The team will again be led by Young, a guard from Redondo Beach, Calif., who set a sophomore record for points in a season, averaging 14.7 ppg and earning First Team All-Conference honors. Young makes her second straight appearance on the preseason all-conference team and is joined by Cowling, a guard/forward from Benicia, Calif. Cowling was the conference's Newcomer of the Year after leading the Lions in scoring during conference play and finishing with a 13.4 ppg average overall, tops among WCC freshmen. She also had the highest field goal percentage in the country among freshmen at .542.
Coming off the WCC regular season and tournament titles and earning their second-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament, Gonzaga received the maximum seven first place votes for a total of 49 points. The Bulldogs had three players named to the preseason all-conference team: 2009 WCC Player of the Year and WCC Tournament MVP junior guard Courtney Vandersloot, 2008 Player of the Year senior forward Heather Bowman, and senior forward Vivian Frieson.
Pepperdine, which finished third in this year's poll with 34 points, returns one starter from last year's team that finished third in the conference in senior center Miranda Ayim, who was also named to this year's preseason all-conference team. Portland collected 31 points to finish fourth in this year's poll. The Pilots will return preseason All-WCC member senior guard Laiken Dollente.
Saint Mary's is expected to finish fifth this season, with 29 points in this year's poll. The Gaels had two players named to the preseason all-conference team in junior center Louella Tomlinson and senior guard Jontelle Smith, who missed last season due to injury. San Diego, with 22 points, was picked sixth in this year's poll. The Toreros will be led by preseason All-WCC member sophomore guard Dominique Conners.
San Francisco and Santa Clara round out this year's poll with 10 points each. The Broncos will be led by preseason all-conference team member junior forward Lena Gipson.
LMU opens the 2009-10 campaign with an exhibition game at home on November 6 against The Master's College. The regular season begins on November 13 when the Lions travel to Southern Methodist University.
Preseason Poll
1. Gonzaga 49 (7)
2. Loyola Marymount 39 (1)
3. Pepperdine 34
4. Portland 31
5. Saint Mary's 29
6. San Diego 22
7. San Francisco 10
Santa Clara 10
(First place votes)
Preseason All-Conference Team
Miranda Ayim PEP SR F
Heather Bowman GON SR F
Dominique Conners USD SO G
Alex Cowling LMU SO F
Laiken Dollente POR SR G
Vivian Frieson GON SR F
Lena Gipson SCU JR F
Jontelle Smith SMC SR G
Louella Tomlinson SMC JR F
Courtney Vandersloot GON JR G
Renahy Young LMU JR G
- GO LIONS -
