Middle Tennessee women’s basketball was chosen by the Sun Belt’s head coaches to capture the East Division crown, while sophomore forward Ebony Rowe has been named a co-Preseason Player of the Year it was announced Tuesday by the conference office. Rowe garnered a spot on the preseason all-first team, while junior forward Icelyn Elie was tabbed to the preseason all-second team.

“Both Ebony and Icelyn are very deserving of this honor,” said head coach Rick Insell. “I’m not surprised at all since both had very good years last season. They both work extremely hard.”

Rowe, who completed her inaugural collegiate campaign as the Sun Belt’s Freshman of the Year, shared the top honor with Denver’s Kaetlyn Murdoch. The two players headline the five-player first team, which also included Arkansas State’s Shania Hurst, FIU’s Jerica Coley and Louisiana’s Mercedes Johnson.

Rowe concluded her first Blue Raider season as a Full Court Press Freshman All-American and an All-Sun Belt First Team selection after averaging a double-double of 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds, the top returning averages in the Sun Belt. She raised the marks to 17.6 points and 10.6 rebounds in conference games.

Rowe set five single-season freshman records at Middle Tennessee last year and registered 16 double-doubles, including 10 against Sun Belt foes. She scored in double figures 30 times, including 28 consecutive to end the campaign, and grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds in her home Sun Belt debut against North Texas (Jan. 5). Her career-best scoring effort of 26 points came in the game prior at South Alabama (Jan. 2) in the league opener.

Elie had a breakout season in which she averaged 10.9 points and 5.8 rebounds, ranking third and second, respectively, among the Blue Raiders. She topped the double-digit scoring plateau 15 times, including four with at least 20 points.

Her career-high 28 points came against ULM (Feb. 2) when she converted 12-of-14 field goals and 4-of-6 free throws. She hauled in a career-best 16 caroms against James Madison (Dec. 12) as part of her first of three double-doubles on the season.

Elie joined Rowe as Blue Raider representatives on the All-UTSA Holiday Classic Team, a pre-Christmas tournament at which Middle Tennessee posted a 2-0 record with wins over St. Bonaventure and Kansas State.

“I think the ceiling is high for both players. I am proud to be their coach and have them a part of this program. Now they need to follow that up with good years. And with that, comes the pressure of being one of the top players in this league.”

The Blue Raiders earned nine first-place votes, by far the most in the division, on their way to collecting 68 total voting points from the league’s coaches. Middle Tennessee has captured the division crown outright three-straight seasons entering this year.

Denver was chosen to top the West with six first-place votes to its credit.

The Blue Raiders will play host to Alabama-Huntsville at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, Nov. 1, in the first of two exhibition games at Murphy Center. Middle Tennessee opens the regular season on the road before welcoming South Dakota State to town at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 for the home opener.