Holt was a First Team All-SBC selection last season after averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals per contest. She is one of three starters returning for the Blue Raiders from last year's record-setting 30-4 club.

She had her best games in 2006-07 against some of the nation's top teams, including 28 points and eight rebounds against top-ranked Maryland, 26 points and 10 boards versus Chattanooga and 21 points, including 15 in the second half, in Middle Tennessee's victory at eighth-ranked Georgia.

Holt also scored 27 points against Old Dominion, tallied 15 points and 11 rebounds in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Championships versus Denver and posted 23 points against Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Duluth, Ga., native made it to the final cut this past summer for USA Basketball's Pan American Games Team.

"I think Amber is certainly one of the best players in our league and one of the best in the country," head coach Rick Insell said. "I think that if she has a good year this year, she could be a Top 5 WNBA pick because she can play so many positions. You don't have many players you can do that with. You just get so many different things with her."

Middle Tennessee ran through the conference last season undefeated and won all 21 contests in 2006-07 versus Sun Belt foes. The Blue Raiders have won 24 consecutive games against SBC opponents dating to the 2005-06 season.

Middle Tennessee received four first-place votes in the East Division and had 69 total points. The coaches picked Western Kentucky first in the division, with the Lady 'Toppers receiving nine first-place votes and 74 total points. Florida International was selected third in the East, with Troy and South Alabama tied for fourth and Florida Atlantic sixth.

"With Crystal Kelly and the players [Western Kentucky] has to compliment her, I figured they'd be number one and we'd be number two with Amber leading our team," Insell said. "It's about what I expected.

"I'll make sure and tell our players that two years ago we were picked third. We're the ones who decide our own fate. We don't allow any other program to decide what we're going to do and where we'll finish. I think this gives our young players a chance to step up and make their mark."

In the West Division, UALR received six first-place votes and 76 total points. Four teams had first-place votes in the West, with Denver picking up three and Arkansas State and North Texas each receiving two. Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe and New Orleans rounded out the preseason coaches poll.

Middle Tennessee continues practice this week before playing North Alabama on November 1 at 7 p.m. at Murphy Center in an exhibition contest.

2007-08 Women's Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
First Team
Kim Sitzmann (UALR, So., G)
LaQuetta Ferguson (Florida International, Sr., G)
Amber Holt (Middle Tennessee, Sr., F)
Le'Della English (New Orleans, Sr., G)
Crystal Kelly (Western Kentucky, Sr. F)

Second Team
Nikya Hughes (UALR, Sr., F/C)
Alisha Godette (Denver, Sr., G)
Onna Charles (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., G)
Amy Lewis (Troy, Sr., G)
Dominique Duck (Western Kentucky, Jr. F)

Third Team
Anshel Cooper (UALR, So., G)
Iva Ciglar (Florida International, Jr., G)
LeJeanna Howard (Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., G)
Talicia Sanders (North Texas, Sr., F)
Monique Jones (South Alabama, Sr., G)

Preseason Player of the Year - Crystal Kelly (Western Kentucky, Sr. F)

Women's Preseason Coaches Poll
As voted on by all 13 league head coaches
First place votes in parenthesis
East Division
1. Western Kentucky (9) 74
2. Middle Tennessee (4) 69
3. Florida International 45
t4. South Alabama 33
t4. Troy 33
6. Florida Atlantic 19

West Division
1. UALR (6) 76
2. Denver (3) 70
3. North Texas (2) 61
4. Arkansas State (2) 58
5. Louisiana-Lafayette 48
6. Louisiana-Monroe 34
7. New Orleans 17

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