We media types are as excited to see this Jody Wynn-led Long Beach State women’s basketball team as the Black & Gold fans are. The 49ers, who missed the Big West Conference Tournament last year, were picked to finish fifth in the 2009-10 Big West Conference preseason poll, as voted on by the media.  Keep in mind, this is a team that returns mostly the same players, and a rookie head coach.

Long Beach received 99 total points, finishing ahead of Pacific (87), Cal State Fullerton (59), Cal State Northridge (41) and UC Irvine (39).

Two-time defending Big West champion UC Santa Barbara is once again the preseason favorite with 10 first-place votes and 162 total points. The Gauchos were followed by UC Davis (155), Cal Poly (146) and UC Riverside (112), all of who received at least one first-place nod.

The media also voted on a six-player preseason all-conference team that included 49er seniors Whitney Fields and Karina Figueroa. Fields picked up second-team honors last year after leading the Big West in rebounding (8.7 rpg). She was also LBSU’s top scorer, averaging 12.6 points per outing.

Figueroa, a three-time All-Big West selection, redshirted the 2008-09 campaign. She currently ranks among the Long Beach State career leaders in free throw percentage (.787), 3-point field goals made (72) and 3-point field goals attempted (223), and is just 16 points away from becoming the program’s 21st 1,000-point scorer.

But the biggest story is still that Long Beach women’s basketball is beginning a new era under first-year head coach Jody Wynn. Wynn, who spent the last five seasons as the top assistant at USC, inherits an experienced 49er squad that includes eight seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen.  CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE OF BEACH SPORTS RADIO WITH GUEST JODY WYNN

LBSU is set to open the 2009-10 campaign on Friday, Nov. 13, when it welcomes Prairie View A&M to the ‘Myd for a 7pm showdown.

2009-10 Big West Preseason Media Poll 1. UC Santa Barbara (10) 162 2. UC Davis (6) 155 3. Cal Poly (3) 146 4. UC Riverside (1) 112 5. Long Beach State 99 6. Pacific 87 7. Cal State Fullerton 59 8. Cal State Northridge 41 9. UC Irvine 39 () - First-place votes

FROM LBSU REPORTS