Oct. 28, 2004
SAN MARCOS, Texas - Texas State University senior Tori Talbert, a former Southland Conference player of the year, was named to the Southland Conference Preseason First-Team, as selected by the league's coaches. Talbert, a 6-foot-2 center from Boerne, Texas returns for her final season in a Bobcat uniform.
Preseason favorites Northwestern State and Texas-Arlington each received two preseason all-league selections along with Stephen F. Austin. However, Northwestern State is the lone team to garner both on the first squad with Amanda Bennett and Diamond Cosby, its top two offensive players from last season.
Rounding out the preseason All-SLC First Team in addition to Talbert, Bennett, and Crosby are two more seniors, one from UTA and the other from University of Louisiana-Monroe.
UTA's Rola Ogunoye, who ranks sixth on the school's all-time scoring list, became the first Lady Mav player to be named to the All-SLC first team since the 1999-2000 season. In addition, the Cedar Hill, Texas, native earned All-Tournament and Academic All-SLC honors last year. Nina Randle from ULM, a 5-foot-11 guard who paced the SLC in steals last year with 3.31 per contest, also led the team in rebounds (7.7 rpg) and blocked shots (1.28).
Talbert has been a solid performer for the 'Cats as she currently ranks second in career rebounds (917), sixth in scoring (1,298), and fifth in blocks (50), and has set the stage to break many of Texas State's records in 2004-05. Last season, Talbert started in all but one of the 'Cats 27 games. She led the Bobcats by averaging 15.1 ppg and 9.7 rpg.
Texas State was picked sixth in the Southland Conference coaches' poll and picked to finish fourth by the league's SIDs.
The coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own teams, tabbed the UTA for the conference title while the defending SLC regular-season and tournament champion Northwestern State got the nod from the SIDs.
2004-05 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Polls
Coaches Poll (1st-place votes) Points
1. Texas-Arlington (7) 95
2. Northwestern State (3) 85
3. Louisiana-Monroe (1) 77
4. Stephen F. Austin 72
5. Texas-San Antonio 65
6. Texas State 60
7. McNeese State 51
8. Sam Houston State 43
9. Southeastern Louisiana 27
10. Lamar 19
11. Nicholls State 11
Sports Information Directors Points
1. Northwestern State (6) 113
2. Texas Arlington (2) 108
3. Louisiana-Monroe (3) 100
Texas-San Antonio 72
6. Stephen F. Austin 71
7. McNeese State 68
8. Sam Houston State 46
9. Southeastern Louisiana 39
10. Lamar 23
11. Nicholls State 14
2004-05 Preseason All-Southland Conference Men's Basketball Teams
First Team
Amanda Bennett, Northwestern State, 5-10, Sr., F, Simpson, La.
Rola Ogunoye, Texas-Arlington, 6-0, Sr., F, Cedar Hill, Texas
Nina Randle, Louisiana-Monroe, 5-11, Sr., G, Covington, La.
Tori Talbert, Texas State, 6-2, Sr., C, Boerne, Texas
Diamond Cosby, Northwestern State, 5-8, Sr., G, Shreveport, La.
Second Team
LaToya Mills, Stephen F. Austin, 6-0, Jr., F, Houston, Texas
Regina Spivey, McNeese, 5-10, Jr., F, Ruston, La.
Nakeya Downing, Southeastern Louisiana, 6-0, Sr., F, Amite, La.
Kendria Smith, Stephen F. Austin, 6-2, Jr., PG, Shreveport, La.
Krystal Buchanan, Texas-Arlington, 5-7, Sr., G, DeSoto, Texas
