RICHARDSON, Texas –– Defending NCAA Division III national champion Howard Payne University and the University of Texas at Tyler have been predicted to repeat their American Southwest Conference West and East Division titles, respectively, after a vote of each division's head coaches, sports information directors and media members, the conference office announced on Tuesday (Oct. 14). Concordia University Texas' Kassandra Bills, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor's Landie Thompson and Louisiana College's Tillisha Givens earned 2008-09 preseason player of the year honors.

Howard Payne, which went 33-0 overall and 21-0 in league play last season on its way to giving the ASC its first NCAA national team championship, totaled 177 points and picked up 16 of the possible 24 West Division first-place votes in the annual poll. The two-time defending ASC champion Lady Jackets are under the direction of new head coach Joshua Prock. He takes over for Chris Kielsmeier, who left HPU after eight seasons to take the head job at Division II Wayne State.

Hardin-Simmons University (21-6, 17-4 ASC) was picked to finish second in the West, totaling 167 points and nabbing seven top-spot votes. The Cowgirls have won seven ASC titles overall and reached the Final Four in 2006. McMurry University (25-5, 19-2), which has three straight NCAA tournament appearances along with HPU, garnered 140 points and the last remaining first-place vote. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (15-12, 12-9 ASC) totaled 129 points to round out what would be the West Division's four teams to qualify for the ASC Championship Tournament. Concordia University Texas (93 pts.) was predicted to finish fifth, followed by Schreiner University (70 pts.), Sul Ross State University (59 pts.) and Texas Lutheran University (29 pts.).

Texas-Tyler (17-9, 14-6 ASC), which hosted the conference tournament last season after winning the East title for the third time in the last four years, totaled 138 points and earned 14 of the division's 21 possible first-place votes. Head coach Terri Deike's Patriots led the league in offense in 2007-08, scoring 76.3 points per game.

Louisiana College (15-11, 11-9 ASC) was predicted to finish in second place in the East, totaling 111 points and grabbing three first-place votes. Mississippi College (15-11, 12-8 ASC) received just two points less than the Lady Wildcats and also earned three top-spot votes to come in the third spot. The University of Texas at Dallas (16-10, 12-8 ASC) totaled 92 points and had the last first-place vote to round out what would be the division's four league tournament qualifiers. East Texas Baptist University (71 pts.) was picked to finish fifth, followed by LeTourneau University (37 pts.) and University of the Ozarks (30 pts.).

CTX's Bills (Pflugerville, TX / PHS) and UMHB's Thompson (Austin, TX / Lake Travis HS) shared the title of ASC West Division Preseason Player of the Year. Bills, a senior guard, averaged 17.4 points, 3.2 steals and 2.8 assists per game last season. Thompson, a sophomore forward/center, averaged 15.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game on her way to being named West Division Freshman of the Year.

Givens (Monroe, LA / Ouachita Parish HS), a sophomore guard/forward, was named ASC East Division Preseason Player of the Year. She averaged 14.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game in 2007-08 to earn freshman of the year honors in the East.

Bills, Thompson and Givens were all first team ASC all-division selections last year.

The 2008-09 season – the 13th in league history – begins as early as November 15. The three-day, eight-team conference tournament is slated for February 27-March 1 at the site of the West Division's top seed and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship will be on the line.

2008-09 ASC PRESEASON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL POLL
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors and Media Members]

WEST DIVISION
Team (first-place votes) Points 2007-08 Record
1. Howard Payne (16) 177 33-0, 21-0 ASC
2. Hardin-Simmons (7) 167 21-6, 17-4 ASC
3. McMurry (1) 140 25-5, 19-2 ASC
4. Mary Hardin-Baylor 129 15-12, 12-9 ASC
5. Concordia Texas 93 14-11, 12-9 ASC
6. Schreiner 70 7-18, 6-15 ASC
7. Sul Ross State 59 7-17, 6-15 ASC
8. Texas Lutheran 29 0-25, 0-21 ASC

EAST DIVISION
Team (first-place votes) Points 2007-08 Record
1. Texas-Tyler (14) 138 17-9, 14-6 ASC
2. Louisiana College (3) 111 15-11, 11-9 ASC
3. Mississippi College (3) 109 15-11, 12-8 ASC
4. Texas-Dallas (1) 92 16-10, 12-8 ASC
5. East Texas Baptist 71 8-16, 7-13 ASC
6. LeTourneau 37 6-19, 4-16 ASC
7. Ozarks 30 1-24, 1-19 ASC

2008-09 ASC PRESEASON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors and Media Members]

CO-WEST DIVISION
Kassandra Bills, G, Sr., Concordia University Texas
Landie Thompson, F/C, So., University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

EAST DIVISION
Tillisha Givens, G/F, So., Louisiana College