Lady Mocs Receive 8-of-11 First-Place Votes
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? The Chattanooga Lady Mocs are the favorites to win the Southern Conference women’s basketball championship again in 2008-09, according to a poll of the league’s 11 head coaches. The Lady Mocs received eight of a possible 11 first place votes in the balloting.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team in the voting process.
Despite losing three starters and five letterwinners from last season’s team that went undefeated through the SoCon, Chattanooga topped the league’s preseason poll with 98 total points, six points ahead of second-place Western Carolina (92). Chattanooga has claimed at least a share of nine consecutive SoCon regular season titles and is currently in the midst of a 22-game conference winning streak.
The Lady Catamounts, who were also hit hard by graduation following last season with the departure of four key players, picked up the three remaining first-place votes. UTC and WCU have finished in the top two spots of the league standings in each of the past two seasons, and Western Carolina is the only team outside of the Lady Mocs to win a SoCon Tournament title since 2001.
Davidson was picked to finish third in the SoCon with 77 total points after finishing in a tie for the third slot last season.
League newcomer Samford (70) was tabbed to place fourth after returning three starters from a 2007-08 squad that went 15-5 and tied for second place during the regular season in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Georgia Southern (62) was predicted to finish fifth this season while the College of Charleston (52) was the sixth team chosen. UNC Greensboro (42), Furman (35) and Wofford (34) held down the seventh, eighth and ninth slots, respectively while the two teams which introduced new head coaches in the offseason, Appalachian State (22) and Elon (21), occupied the final two slots.
The Southern Conference season begins on Friday, Nov. 14 with six teams in action. The 2009 Southern Conference Tournament will be held March 5-9 at the McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tenn.
2008-09 SoCon Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
Place School (1st) Points
1. Chattanooga (8) 98
2. Western Carolina (3) 92
3. Davidson 77
4. Samford 70
5. Georgia Southern 62
6. College of Charleston 52
7. UNC Greensboro 42
8. Furman 35
9. Wofford 34
10. Appalachian State 22
11. Elon 21