MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois senior guard Saule Kontautaite (Berciunai, Lithuania) earned a spot on the preseason All-Summit League selections while the Leathernecks were picked to finish seventh in the poll, announced by the league office on Thursday (Oct. 18). Head coaches, sports information directors and select media members voted in the poll.

Last year Kontautaite was voted as the league's 'Newcomer of the Year', and this year earned a spot on the preseason Second Team. She averaged 9.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while setting a program record hitting 67 3-point field goals. The senior guard started in 12 of her 31 games played.

Coming off a year in which the squad finished in a three-way tie for sixth and semifinals appearance in the postseason tournament, Western was picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. Three starters and eight letterwinners return off last year's 12-19 team that went 7-11 in the Summit League.

South Dakota State received 22 of the 25 first-place votes and was picked to repeat receiving 330 points. Kansas City, the tournament runner-up last year, received a first-place vote and tallied 260 points. Oakland (234) and North Dakota State (221) went third and fourth, respectively. IUPUI earned a first-place vote with 213 total points for fifth.

South Dakota registered 151 points, just ahead of Western's 138 points. Fort Wayne got the other first-place vote and recorded 96 points while Omaha's 43 points rounded out the preseason poll.

The Fighting Leathernecks open the exhibition season on November 2nd against Monmouth. The regular season begins on Sunday, November 11, at Iowa State with the home opener two days later against Clarke. Season tickets are on sale by calling (309) 298-1190 or online at www.GoLeathernecks.com.

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