STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern women's basketball squad has been picked to finish 10th in the Sun Belt, according to the 2017-18 Preseason Coaches' Poll released today by conference officials.
The Eagles compiled a 13-17 overall record in Head Coach Kip Drown's second season at the helm of the GS Women's Basketball program in 2016-17, but fashioned a 9-9 Sun Belt mark to finish sixth in the league standings.Â
This year, the league's coaches voted the Eagles 10th with 48 points. UT Arlington (136 points) received seven of a possible 12 first-place votes and is picked to win the league, with Little Rock (125) points picked second, receiving two first-place votes.
Troy (119 points) also received two first-place votes and is picked third, followed by Louisiana (116 points), who got the final first-place vote. Texas State (89 points), Arkansas State (71 points), South Alabama (70 points), Georgia State (65 points) and Appalachian State (50 points) are picked ahead of the Eagles, while Coastal Carolina (33 points) is picked 11th and UL Monroe (14 points) is picked 12th.
The Eagles did not have a representative on the preseason All-Conference teams.
Georgia Southern returns two starters and 10 players from last season's squad, but lost All-Conference performers Patrice Butler and Angel McGowan. Nine of the 14 players on the Eagles in 2017-18 are underclassmen and the team has three seniors - Sierra Butler, Trellanie English-Lurry and Alexis Foulks - set to lead the team this season.Â
Click here to view the complete 2017-18 Sun Belt Conference poll release.
The Eagles open up the 2017-18 season on Friday, November 10th, traveling to North Carolina A&T for a 5 p.m. matchup in Greensboro, N.C.