WKU will be one of the underdogs in the Sun Belt Conference this year.

The Lady Toppers were picked to finish fifth this year in the Sun Belt East Division, receiving 26 votes from the league’s coaches in a poll released by the conference Tuesday morning.

Middle Tennessee State (65 votes, 10 first-place votes) was picked to win the division, with Florida International (54 votes, one-first place vote) picked second.

Rounding out the East is South Alabama (54 votes), Florida Atlantic (29), WKU (26) and Troy (12).

Arkansas Little-Rock (54 votes, 10 first-place votes) was picked to win the West. Arkansas State (39, 1), North Texas (33), Louisiana-Monroe (24) and Louisiana-Lafayette (15) rounded out the division.

WKU sophomores Alexis Govan and Chasity Gooch both earned spots on the preseason all-Sun Belt third-team.

Govan, a guard from San Antonio, will return to the lineup after averaging 6.6 points per game as a freshman. 

She also shot 37.8 percent from the field and 74.5 percent from the free throw line during the Lady Toppers’ 2011-2012 season. She led the team with 58 assists, while also recording 42 steals.

Govan had a career high 22 points in back-to-back games in the last game of the season versus MTSU, and in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament against ULM. 

Gooch, a former Franklin-Simpson High School standout, averaged 6.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game as a forward during her freshman year with WKU. Playing in every game last year, she also put up 32 assists, blocked eight shots and recorded 23 steals. 

She notched a season-high 19 points versus Lousiana Tech and grabbed a season-best 11 rebounds in three games.

The conference also announced that two Lady Topper games will be televised on the Sun Belt Network: a road game at Louisiana-Lafayette on Feb. 23 and the regular-season finale in Diddle Arena against MTSU on March 2.

2012-13 Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference First Team

Taylor Gault (UALR, Sophomore, Guard)

Jerica Coley (FIU, Junior, Guard)

Icelyn Elie (Middle Tennessee, Senior, Forward)

Kortni Jones (Middle Tennessee, Senior, Guard)

Ebony Rowe (Middle Tennessee, Junior, Forward)

2012-13 Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Second Team

Taylor Ford (UALR, Junior, Guard)

Jane Morrill (Arkansas State, Junior, Forward)

Chenise Miller (Florida Atlantic, RS-Junior, Forward)

Finda Mansare (FIU, Senior, Forward)

Mansa El (South Alabama, Senior, Guard)

2012-13 Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Third Team

Janette Merriex (UALR, Senior, Guard/Forward)

Jasmine Shaw (Louisiana-Monroe, Junior, Guard)

Mary Nixon (South Alabama, Senior, Guard)

Chastity Gooch (WKU, Sophomore, Forward)

Alexis Govan (WKU, Sophomore, Guard)

2012-13 Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year

Jerica Coley (FIU, Junior, Guard)

2012-13 Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

First Place Votes in Parentheses

EAST DIVISION

1. Middle Tennessee – 65 pts (10)

2. FIU – 54 pts (1)

3. South Alabama – 45 pts

4. Florida Atlantic – 29 pts

5. WKU – 26 pts

6. Troy – 12 pts

WEST DIVISION

1. UALR – 54 pts (10)

2. Arkansas State – 39 pts (1)

3. North Texas – 33 pts

4. Louisiana-Monroe – 24 pts

5. Louisiana-Lafayette – 15 pts

All times Central (CT) and subject to change