More honors for Bonner, AU

Preseason honors continued for the Auburn women’s basketball team, as senior DeWanna Bonner was chosen as the SEC Preseason Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and named to the Wooden Award Watch List, and the team was picked third in the conference by the SEC coaches.

Vanderbilt was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the SEC, followed by defending NCAA champion Tennessee and Auburn. Georgia and LSU placed fourth and fifth, respectively, to round out the top five in the preseason poll.

“I’m pleased with our ranking, I love the high expectations being put on this team,” said Auburn head coach Nell Fortner. “It is something we want and welcome it, we are working hard to finish as high as we can in this league this year.”

The Tigers return four starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s team that went 20-12 and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Auburn has also been picked in the preseason top 25 in the AP poll and the coaches’ poll, along with several national publications.

Rounding out the preseason rankings were: Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Arkansas and Alabama.

Bonner, a senior from Fairfield, was also tabbed by the coaches as the SEC Preseason Player of the Year after being given a similar honor last month in the media poll. Bonner enters the 2008-09 season following a junior campaign that saw her earn honorable mention All-America honors. She averaged a double-double last season with 18.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

“I think it is a great complement to DeWanna’s entire career here at Auburn for her to be named the Preseason Player of the Year,” said Fortner. “She has gained the respect of the coaches in this league and that speaks volumes because these are great coaches in a tremendous league.”

Joining Bonner, on the Preseason All-SEC First Team were Florida’s Marshae Dotson and Sha Brooks, Georgia’s Ashley Houts, LSU’s Allison Hightower, Ole Miss’ Shawn Goff, Tennessee’s Angie Bjorklund, and Vanderbilt’s Christina Wirth.

Auburn was also represented on the Preseason All-SEC Second Team by senior guards Whitney Boddie and Sherell Hobbs.. Boddie saw limited action in 2007-08, but finished the season averaging 10.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Hobbs averaged 13.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season, starting in all 32 games. She turned her game up a notch in SEC play, posting 15.8 points per game in league play.

Joining the Auburn duo on the Preseason All-SEC Second Team are Georgia’s Angel Robinson, Kentucky’s Victoria Dunlap, Mississippi State’s Marneshia Richard, South Carolina’s Demetress Adams, Tennessee’s Vicki Baugh and Shekinna Stricklen, and Vanderbilt’s Jennifer Risper.

“To have Whitney not even play the SEC season last year, that speaks volumes for her as a player, her skill and what people think of her to make this team,” said Fortner. “It is a great compliment to Sherell and how much she has grown her game while at Auburn to be considered one of the top players on the conference.”

The 2008-09 SEC Coaches Preseason Poll comes as the Tigers prepare to open the 2008-09 season this weekend.

Auburn is set to open its season with a home exhibition game against Anderson University at 2 p.m. Sunday in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. The regular season is slated to open on the road at Alabama A&M on Nov. 14, with the home opener against Temple following on Nov. 17.