10/26-Jenna Smith tabbed Preseason All-Conference
Updated: October 26, 2008
PARK RIDGE, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference announced the preseason coaches and media womens basketball polls and All-Conference teams on Sunday at the 2008 Big Ten Basketball Media Day in Chicago. Illinois junior center Jenna Smith was selected to the preseason All-Big Ten teams, while the Fighting Illini were picked to finish sixth by a panel of media members and seventh by the leagues coaches.
Now entering her second season as head coach, Jolette Law and the new-look Fighting Illini are looking to pick-up where they left off at the end of last season, when they made a historic run to the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the postseason for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons. Led by Smith, an honorable mention All-American and first team All-Big Ten selection who averaged 18.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, the Illini racked-up 20 wins for the first time in eight years last season.
Joining Smith on the All-Big Ten teams are Michigan States Allyssa DeHaan, Minnesotas Emily Fox, Ohio States Jantel Lavender and Purdues Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton. It is the second straight year an Illini player has been named to the preseason All-Conference team as the media honored Lori Bjork last season.
Three-time defending regular season champion Ohio State was selected to take the title against by the media, while Purdue was picked to win the league by the coaches. Ohio States Jantel Lavender was named the Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches and the media and was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big Ten team by both groups.
The Fighting Illini open the season with an exhibition game against SIU-Edwardsville on Nov. 9, while the regular season opens on Nov. 14 at IPFW. Season tickets are on sale now at the UI Athletics Ticket Office or by calling 866-ILLINI-1.
2008-09 PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Purdue
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan State
4. Iowa
5. Minnesota
6. Michigan
7. ILLINOIS
8. Indiana
9. Penn State
10. Wisconsin
11. Northwestern
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN COACHES TEAM
Jenna Smith, ILL, Jr., C
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU, Jr., C
Emily Fox, MINN, Sr., G
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU, So., C
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, PUR, Sr., F
PRESEASON COACHES PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jantel Lavender, OSU, So., C
2008-09 PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
1. Ohio State
2. Purdue
3. Michigan State
4. Minnesota
5. Iowa
6. ILLINOIS
7. Indiana
8. Michigan
9. Penn State
10. Wisconsin
11. Northwestern
PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN MEDIA TEAM
Jenna Smith, ILL, Jr., C
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU, Jr., C
Emily Fox, MINN, Sr., G
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU, So., C
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, PUR, Sr., F
PRESEASON MEDIA PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jantel Lavender, OSU, So., C
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
