The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its 2008-09 preseason basketball predictions and all-conference teams, Wednesday afternoon at its annual basketball press luncheon at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Winston-Salem, N.C. North Carolina A&T State University senior Amber Bland was named the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

Bland averaged 15.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season. The guard tallied 2.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game and led the league in three-point field goal percentage (39.3) and was second in three-point field goals made (1.94).

Brittanie Taylor-James of North Carolina A&T and Morgan State’s Corin Adams join Bland on the preseason All-MEAC first-team. Taylor-James knocked down 11.7 points and grabbed 4.6 rebounds per game last season. Adams led the MEAC and finished third in the nation with 4.0 steals per game. The guard averaged 16.6 points and led the league with 4.29 assists per game.

Maryland Eastern Shore’s April McBride and Coppin State’s Whitney Cunningham complete the preseason first-team. McBride was an All-MEAC first-team selection in 2007-08 after averaging 15.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Cunningham averaged 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game a year ago.

The Lady Aggies earned 18 of the possible 22 first place votes for a total of 468 points and were picked to take home the 2008-09 crown. They return five starters from a team that recorded a 25-8 overall record and 15-1 mark in MEAC play last season en route to their first regular-season title since the 1989-90 season. .

Delaware State tallied 378 points and was predicted to finish second in this year’s poll. Morgan State followed with 364 points for a third place predicted order of finish. Coppin State (316) earned two first place votes and were tabbed to finish fourth while Hampton (291) received one first place vote and rounded out the preseason top five.

The 2008-09 MEAC basketball season tips off on Friday, November 14 with a host of MEAC women’s teams in action. The defending MEAC tournament champion, Coppin State Lady Eagles, will head to Washington, D.C. to open up their season on Monday November, 17 against George Washington.

The 2009 MEAC Basketball Tournament is scheduled for March 9-14 at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum (LJVM) in Winston-Salem, N.C.