Oct. 27, 2004

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A trio of Lady Vols were selected by the Southeastern Conference's head coaches to the first-ever women's basketball preseason All-SEC teams on Wednesday, Oct. 27. Senior Shyra Ely garnered first-team honors while classmate Loree Moore and junior Shanna Zolman were named to the second team. Tennessee, along with Georgia, led all schools with three selections each.

After an outstanding junior campaign in which she was honored as a Kodak All-American and helped lead UT to an overall record of 31-4 and a berth in the NCAA National Championship Game, Ely returns for her final campaign at Tennessee as one of the most talented players in the country. As the squad's leading returning scorer (14.5 ppg) and rebounder (8.0 rpg) from a season ago, the Indianapolis, Ind., native has already amassed a bevy of awards during the preseason. In addition to being tabbed as a candidate for the State Farm Wade Trophy and as a member of the John R. Wooden Women's Award Preseason All-America Team, she was chosen as a first-team All-American by Athlon and a second-team All-American by Lindy's Collge Basketball Annual and Women's Basketball News Service.

Moore returns to the hardwood after missing the final 18 games of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee suffered during UT's triumph at top-ranked Duke on Jan. 24, 2004. Prior to her injury, the Lakewood, Calif., product had started all 17 games at the point guard position while leading the Lady Vols in steals (48) and assists (48). One of the top defensive players in the history of the program, Moore enters the 2004-05 season ranked 10th on UT's all-time career steals list with 225. She joins Ely on this year's John R. Wooden Women's Award Preseason All-America Team.

One of UT's three returning starters, Zolman will look to build upon last year 's outstanding postseason performances that earned her a spot on the NCAA All-Final Four Team. During her breakout sophomore campaign, the Syracuse, Ind., native was the squad's second-leading scorer (12.3 ppg) and was chosen to the All-SEC Second Team by the league's coaches. Incredibly accurate from the charity stripe, she led the nation in free throw percentage (.957, 88-92) last year and enters 2004-05 having connected on 34 consecutive attempts. Zolman was also productive from beyond the arc, compiling a league-best .437 mark from long range. Her 95 career three-pointers rank her 11th on Tennessee's all-time list.

The Lady Vols will begin their exhibition slate when they host Carson-Newman on Sunday, Nov. 7, at 4 p.m.

All-SEC First Team
Natasha Brackett	Auburn
Tashia Morehead	Florida
Janese Hardrick	Georgia
Seimone Augustus #	LSU
Temeka Johnson #	LSU
Armintie Price	Mississippi
Tan White #	Mississippi State
Shyra Ely	Tennessee
Carla Thomas	Vanderbilt
All-SEC Second Team
Monique Bivins	Alabama
Ruby Vaden	Arkansas
Bernice Mosby	Florida
Sherill Baker	Georgia
Alexis Kendrick	Georgia
Sara Potts	Kentucky
Loree Moore	Tennessee
Shanna Zolman	Tennessee

#-Unanimous Selection; Ties are not broken