Westminster Men, Women Picked As Pre-Season Basketball Favorites

ST. LOUIS - The Westminster College (Mo.) men and women have been chosen as the pre-season favorites in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Men's & Women's Basketball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll. The Blue Jay men received three first place votes and had a total of 57 points, while the Blue Jay women received two first place votes and had a total of 55 points.

The Westminster men finished the 2008-09 season with an overall record of 20-7 and 12-4 in the SLIAC. They also captured a share of the regular season conference championship last season, their first in 19 years in the SLIAC. The Blue Jays return senior guard, Stanley Crawford, who was a Second Team All-SLIAC recipient in 2008-09 and was also named to the All-Defensive Team. Crawford led his squad with 14.9 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game. He also shot .507 from the field, dished out 54 assists, and recorded 61 steals and 11 blocks. Senior Ky Millard also returns for Westminster. Millard was selected to the 2009 All-Defensive Team and had a team-high 92 assists in 2008-09. He also averaged 8.7 points per game, while shooting .456 from three-point range.

Also receiving first place votes in the men's poll was Fontbonne (3), Webster (1) and Greenville (1). Fontbonne shared the regular season conference title with Westminster last year and went on to capture their third consecutive SLIAC Tournament Championship. The Griffins were chosen second in the pre-season poll with a total of 55 points. Webster, who placed third in the poll with 51 points, tied for third place last year with a SLIAC record of 11-5. Newcomer Spalding University (47 points) was chosen to finish fourth this season by the coaches, while Greenville rounded out the top five with 43 points.

On the women's side it will be a battle in 2009-10, as powerhouse Maryville University is no longer in the mix. The Blue Jay women were selected to finish first with a total of 55 points, with Blackburn College right behind them in second with a total of 53 points and three first place votes. Also receiving first place votes were newcomer Spalding University (2) and Fontbonne University (1).

Returning for Westminster is sophomore guard, Rachel Backes. As a freshman, Backes earned Second Team All-SLIAC honors. She was second on the squad in scoring with 10.3 points per game, while also averaging 3.2 rebounds per game and shooting 41.1 percent (29-of-70) from behind the arc and 81.6 percent (40-of-49) from the free throw line.

Joining the SLIAC this year is Spalding University. The Golden Eagles are eligible for the regular season conference championship and SLIAC awards, but due to their NCAA provisional membership, they may not qualify for the Conference Tournament.