FMU's Singleton-Bates named to Preseason All-PBC Team

AUGUSTA, GA - Francis Marion University junior guard-forward Shannon Singleton-Bates has been named to the Peach Belt Conference's preseason All-Conference women's basketball team as selected by the league's head coaches.

The team included six players due to a tie for the final spot. Joining Singleton-Bates are Lander University's Shannon McKever and Ciara Lyons, Phebe Smith of Columbus State University, Kendra Chandler of USC Aiken, and LeSheria Stevens of Clayton State University.

Singleton-Bates was named an honorable mention All-American in 2009 and a first-team All-PBC selection. The South Norwalk, Conn., native led the highest-scoring team in the nation with a 13.0 points per game average, while also pacing the Patriots in rebounding at 5.1 per contest. She reached double figures in 24 of 32 games and had six games of 20 or more points. She connected on 43.6 percent of her field goal attempts and 75.0 percent of her free throw attempts, and was third on the team with 17 blocked shots. 

Singleton-Bates helped lead the Patriots to a 27-5 record, the 2008-09 PBC regular-season championship, a No. 14 national ranking, and a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

The Patriots play exhibition games at the University of North Carolina on Thursday at 7 p.m. and at Winthrop University on Saturday at 7 p.m.  FMU will open its regular season on Nov. 15 at home against Converse College.

Shannon Singleton-Bate