ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson women's basketball team has been selected to finish ninth in its first season in the South Atlantic Conference by the league's coaches as released by the conference office Friday afternoon, while Trojan senior guard Alexa Neal has been named to the preseason All-South Atlantic Conference second-team.
Neal, the top scorer from last season's Conference Carolinas Tournament championship team, paced the squad a year ago with her 11.5 points per game and the Greensboro, N.C., native will look to pick up where she left off last season when she earned a spot on the Conference All-Tournament Team and was also named first-team all-conference.
Starting every game, she led the Trojans in scoring on 11 occasions and reached double figures in 16 games, while reaching the 20-point plateau three times. Dishing out 114 assists for the season as well, Neal finished the season as the fourth-best passer in the league, averaging 3.7 assists per game.
"It's a great honor for Alexa to be recognized by the conference," said Anderson head coach Jim Brunelli. "Alexa is most deserving of the accolade and it is a testament to her hard work and what she means to our program."
After winning seven of their last eight regular-season games, then claiming three consecutive wins at home in the Conference Carolinas Tournament, AU posted a 20-11 record in 2010. It marked the Trojans' sixth 20-win season in the last seven years and they made their seventh consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Tusculum, the defending South Atlantic Conference tournament champion, is the consensus pick to capture the 2010 league title after finishing 23-10 last season and making an appearance in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time in program history. The Pioneers return four starters from last year's squad, including the Women's Division II Bulletin Preseason National Player of the Year in senior point guard Jasmine Gunn. The 2010 South Atlantic Conference and Southeast Region Player of the Year and consensus All-American, Gunn averaged 21.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season and finished eighth in the nation in scoring.
Carson-Newman is in the second spot after picking up 89 votes in the coaches poll. The Lady Eagles advanced to the NCAA Southeast Regional semifinals last season and finished with a 24-7 overall record. Led by first-team preseason selection Helen McKinney, the Newberry Wolves are picked to finish third (71 points) with Lincoln Memorial selected fourth with 60 points. McKinney averaged 15.3 points per contest while helping lead NC to the conference tourney finals and a berth in the NCAA Regionals.
Catawba edged Wingate for the fifth slot in the poll, with defending regular-season champion Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill, Anderson and Brevard rounding out the poll.
Anderson opens the season with a three-game homestand, beginning with Georgia College and State University on Friday, Nov. 12.
2010 SAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACHES POLL
School Pts.
Tusculum (10) 100
Carson-Newman 89
Newberry 71
Lincoln Memorial 60
Catawba 53
Wingate 51
Lenoir-Rhyne 42
Mars Hill 37
Anderson 30
Brevard 17
PRESEASON ALL-SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
2010 Women's Basketball Preseason All-South Atlantic Conference
First Team
Mandy Mendenhall, Carson-Newman
Dana Hicks, Catawba
Brittini Young, Mars Hill
Helen McKinney, Newberry
Jasmine Gunn, Tusculum
Kurie Washington, Wingate
Second Team
Alexa Neal, Anderson
Milica Ivanovic, Catawba
Cameron Sealey, Lenoir-Rhyne
Dayshalee Salaman, Lincoln Memorial
LeAnne Watson, Newberry
Catherine Hintz, Tusculum
