BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Senior Kelsey McCauley picked up her first honor of the 2010 season by being selected to the Sun Belt Conference Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, the league office announced today. The El Dorado Hills, Calif. native, was selected at second base in a vote by the league's head coaches.

McCauley finished the 2009 season with a .270 batting average after finishing fourth on the team in hits with 49 and fifth in RBI with 21. She also finished the year tied for second on the team in triples and fourth in home runs. She posted a hit in 33 of 53 games and started the season with a hit in the first ten games of the year including two against Samford and Sacramento State. She also recorded six walks and recorded a .253 or better hitting percentage in all 53 games. In addition, she also recorded a .333 batting average or better in the first 22 games of the season and she finished the year ranked fifth on the team in slugging percentage. In the field, she posted a .938 fielding percentage after posting just four errors in the outfield.

The Lady Toppers were also picked to finish sixth this season in the Sun Belt in a poll by the league's head coaches. The Lady Toppers, who racked up 39 points in the poll, finished ahead of South Alabama, ULM and Middle Tennessee who finished in seventh through ninth place. Louisiana-Lafayette, the 2009 Sun Belt Conference champions, was picked to repeat as the league's champion after finishing first in the poll with 80 points and eight first place votes. Troy was second in the preseason poll with one first place vote and 70 points while FIU, Florida Atlantic and North Texas finished third, fourth and fifth respectively.

WKU kicks off the 2010 season on Friday when they travel to Mobile, Ala. to take part in the Mardi Gras Invitational. On Friday, the Lady Toppers will face off against Samford at 4:30 p.m. CT before taking on Lipscomb and UCA on Friday. The Lady Toppers will round out the tournament on Sunday against SIUE at 9 a.m.

Preseason All-Conference Team
Donna Bourgeois (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., P)
Ashlyn Williams (Troy, Jr., P)
Lana Bowers (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., C)
Mallory Cantler (North Texas, Jr., 1B)
Kelsey McCauley (WKU, Sr., 2B)
Melissa Verde (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., 3B)
Blair Bodenmiller (Florida Atlantic, Sr., SS)
Vallie Gaspard (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., OF)
Brianna Love (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., OF)
Mariza Martinez (North Texas, Jr., OF)
Gabriele Bridges (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., DP)

Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Blair Bodenmiller (Florida Atlantic, Sr., SS)
Brianna Love (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., OF)

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Donna Bourgeois (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr.)

Preseason Poll
1. Louisiana-Lafayette-80 (8)
2. Troy-70 (1)
3. FIU- 58
4. Florida Atlantic- 50
5. North Texas- 41
6. WKU-39
7. South Alabama- 36
8. Louisiana-Monroe-19
9. Middle Tennessee- 12