Per WKUSports.com:

The 2010-11 edition of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook released its Sun Belt Conference preseason forecast Monday morning, and WKU was predicted to finish first in the conference’s East Division in the yearbook’s 30th publication.

In addition, WKU seniors Sergio Kerusch and Juan Patillo were tabbed with individual preseason honors. Kerusch was named to the yearbook’s Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team, and Pattillo was listed as the conference’s Newcomer of the Year.

In two years as a Hilltopper, Kerusch has averaged 12.3 points per game while also grabbing 7.3 rebounds per contest. Despite missing 14 games due to injury during the heart of the 2009-10 season, Kerusch led WKU in rebounding at over seven boards per game. He was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team prior to his junior campaign.

Pattillo transferred to WKU from the University of Oklahoma prior to the 2009-10 season, and the upcoming 2010-11 season will be his first in a Hilltopper uniform. The 6-6 forward was considered one of the best overall athletes for the Sooners and contributed 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game for one of the nation’s top-ranked teams in 2008-09. Prior to the University of Oklahoma Pattillo competed at the College of Southern Idaho, where he was a first-team Junior College All-American thanks to a scoring average of 17.4 in 2007-08.

Blue Ribbon Yearbook’s complete Sun Belt Conference preseason forecast is listed below:

EAST DIVISION

1. WKU

2. Florida Atlantic

3. South Alabama

4. Middle Tennessee

5. FIU

6. Troy

WEST DIVISION

1. North Texas

2. Arkansas State

3. Louisiana-Lafayette

4. Denver

5. UALR

6. ULM

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

G – Josh White, SR, North Texas

G – Tim Williams, SR, South Alabama

G – Ray Taylor, SO, Florida Atlantic

F – George Odufuwa, SR, North Texas

F – Sergio Kerusch, SR, WKU

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Josh White, SR, North Texas

PRESEASON NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Juan Pattillo, SR, WKU