ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Anderson women's basketball team has been selected to finish ninth in its second season in the South Atlantic Conference by the league's coaches as released by the conference office Wednesday afternoon.
"We don't really pay much attention to preseason rankings because they mostly are speculation," said Anderson head coach Jim Brunelli. "We know what we lost as far as player personnel, however I feel that we have a good core group back that has a lot of experience and when you mix in a solid recruiting class, I believe we can compete."
With three returning starters, Brunelli is looking for the 2011-12 version of Anderson women's basketball to make a run at the South Atlantic Conference championship this season. Brunelli, who guided the Trojans to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament from 2008-2010, will have a talented but youthful collection on this year's squad and has many reasons to be optimistic, with an exciting nucleus of returners and four true freshmen.
Wingate was No. 1 in the coaches poll and led the way with three preseason All-Conference selections. The Bulldogs finished the 2010-11 season with a record of 19-11, and their 12-6 SAC record was the league's second-best. Wingate was also runner-up in the 2011 Food Lion SAC Women's Basketball Championship, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Wingate, which received seven first-place votes, will be led by first team preseason All-SAC selection Kurie Washington. A member of the 2010-11 All-Conference first team as well, Washington averaged 13.6 points a season ago. The Bulldogs also have two student-athletes on the preseason All-SAC second team.
No. two in the coaches poll was Lenoir-Rhyne, which is coming off a 14-13 (11-7 SAC) season a year ago. The Bears received one first-place vote in the poll. L-R will be paced this season by preseason first team All-Conference selection Cameron Sealey, who was second in the league in scoring last season en route to earning first team All-SAC honors.
Newberry was third in the poll, followed by 2011 Food Lion SAC Tournament and regular season champion Tusculum at No. 4 and Catawba at No. 5. Catawba returns 2010-11 first team All-Conference selection Dana Hicks, who averaged 17.2 points and led the league with 11.6 rebounds per game.
Next in the coaches poll was No. 6 Carson-Newman. The Eagles went 14-16 (9-9 SAC) a year ago, and will once again be paced by forward Zoriah Williams, a member of last season's All-Conference first-team. Williams finished 2010-11 just shy of averaging a double-double with 12.3 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.
C-N was followed by No. 7 Mars Hill, No. 8 Lincoln Memorial and No. 9 Anderson. Mars Hill and LMU each have one student-athlete on the preseason All-Conference first team, while MHC has one second-teamer as well.
Brevard rounded out the preseason poll at No. 10. The Tornados enter the season with a pair of second team preseason All-Conference selections.
The preseason All-SAC teams are voted on by the league's media relations directors.
Anderson visits Furman for an exhibition contest on Monday and opens the regular season with a four-game road swing, beginning with Georgia College on Friday, Nov. 11.
SAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
Team Points (1st-Place)
1. Wingate 94 (7)
2. Lenoir-Rhyne 82 (1)
3. Newberry 72
4. Tusculum 61 (1)
5. Catawba 58 (1)
6. Carson-Newman 56
7. Mars Hill 45
8. Lincoln Memorial 44
9. Anderson 25
10. Brevard 13
Preseason All-SAC First Team
Zoriah Williams, Carson-Newman
Dana Hicks, Catawba
Cameron Sealey, Lenoir-Rhyne
Dayshalee Salaman, Lincoln Memorial
Taylor Deal, Mars Hill
Kurie Washington, Wingate
Preseason All-SAC Second Team
Micheala Watkins, Brevard
Anna Schlobohm, Brevard
Tyler Carlson, Mars Hill
Shannon Depew, Carson-Newman
Simone Rutledge, Wingate
Janitsha Williams, Wingate
