Long and Rimmer Named Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Sun Belt Conference released its preseason all-conference teams and polls on Thursday with Shawn Long and Xavian Rimmer each earning preseason all-league honors, while the Ragin' Cajuns were picked to finish second in the annual coaches' poll.

Long was a preseason first-team selection and enters his junior season as one of the top talents in the Sun Belt, and one of the top big men in the nation. At 6-9, 245 pounds from Morgan City, La., Long is one of two returning players in the country to have averaged a double-double in each of the past two seasons.

He averaged 18.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2013-14, earning first team All-SBC honors. In addition, his 2.68 blocks per game led the Sun Belt and ranked 28th nationally.

He has already surpassed 1,000 career points in just two seasons as a Cajun, and his 156 career blocks already ranks third all-time at UL.

Rimmer, meanwhile, got the nod on the second team and will be expected to take on a bigger role in his second year in the program after averaging 8.8 points per game a year ago. He had his breakout game in 2013-14 with 21 points against Coastal Carolina, but truly burst onto the scene with his performance in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

He set career highs in points twice in three games in New Orleans in March, pumping in 24 points against UT Arlington in the SBC Tournament quarterfinals and went for 27 in the championship-game win over Georgia State on his way to all-tournament honors.

Rimmer ranked sixth in the SBC with a .432 three-point percentage, hitting at least three triples in eight games on the year. A transfer from Pearl River Community College, he spent his freshman season at Alcorn State where he was named the SWAC Freshman of the Year.

Long was joined on the first team by a pair of Georgia State players, including preseason player of the year R.J. Hunter and Ryan Harrow. Georgia Southern's Jelani Hewitt and UT Arlington's Lonnie McClanahan rounded out the preseason first team.

In the polls the Ragin' Cajuns were selected second by league coaches with 110 points, behind only defending regular-season champion Georgia State who received the maximum 121 points and all 11 first-place votes. Louisiana went 11-7 a year ago in league play before claiming the league tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth as a No. 3 seed. Other preseason contenders include UALR picked third (94 points), UT Arlington (75 points) and Arkansas State (73 points).

The Ragin' Cajuns will open up the 2014-15 season on Nov. 14 at home against Louisiana College. Fans will have their first glimpse of Louisiana on Nov. 5 when the Cajuns host Loyola-New Orleans in an exhibition game.

Preseason Coaches Poll
(First place votes in parenthesis)
1. Georgia State (11) - 121
2. Louisiana - 110
3. UALR - 94
4. UT Arlington 75
5. Arkansas State - 73
6. ULM - 69
7. Texas State - 43
8. Troy - 42
9. Georgia Southern - 38
South Alabama - 38
11. Appalachian State - 23

Preseason First Team All-Conference
Jelani Hewitt (Georgia Southern, Senior, Guard)
Ryan Harrow (Georgia State, Senior, Guard)
R.J. Hunter (Georgia State, Junior, Guard)
Shawn Long (UL Lafayette, Junior, Forward)
Lonnie McClanahan (UT Arlington, Senior, Guard)

Preseason Second Team All-Conference
Josh Hagins (UALR, Junior, Guard)
James White (UALR, Junior, Forward)
Xavian Rimmer (UL Lafayette, Senior, Guard)
Tylor Ongwae (UL Monroe, Senior, Forward)
Emani Grant (Texas State, Junior, Forward)

Preseason Third Team All-Conference
Tab Hamilton (Appalachian State, Senior, Guard)
Trent Wiedeman (Georgia Southern, Senior, Guard)
Curtis Washington (Georgia State, Senior, Forward)
Jamel Outler (UT Arlington, Senior, Guard)
Kevin Thomas (Troy, Senior, Forward)

Preseason Player of the Year
R.J. Hunter (Georgia State, Junior, Guard)

#GeauxCajuns

Players Mentioned

Shawn Long

Xavian Rimmer