SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference media has named Chattanooga the preseason favorite for the upcoming 2016-17 women’s basketball season. The Mocs, who were also picked first in the coaches poll, earned 11 of 16 first-place votes and finished with 122 points. Mercer, led by 2016 SoCon Coach of the Year Susie Gardner, was tabbed second (114) on the strength of the remaining five first-place votes.
Samford (89), who went 20-11 last season, was slated third, while ETSU (80) was selected fourth by the panel. Furman (74), who returns its leading scorer in Whitney Bunn (15.1 ppg), was tabbed fifth.
Western Carolina (45) was predicted to finish sixth under second-year head coach Stephanie McCormick. Wofford (31) and UNCG (21) round out the 2016-17 SoCon preseason media poll at seventh and eighth, respectively.
Both Wofford and UNCG will look to first-year head coaches. Wofford named former Anderson University head coach Jimmy Garrity to lead the Terriers after he reached the NCAA Division II tournament in all three season during his time at Anderson. Patterson will guide the Spartans after spending the last three years as the top assistant at Old Dominion and has been part of USA Basketball as an assistant coach on two different occasions.
Five of the eight Southern Conference teams will take the floor Nov. 11 to start the regular season. The 2017 Southern Conference Championship presented by General Shale will be held March 2-5 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville, N.C.
SoCon Women’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish – Media Poll
Team (1st-Place Votes) Total
1. Chattanooga (11) 122
2. Mercer (5) 114
3. Samford 89
4. ETSU 80
5. Furman 74
6. Western Carolina 45
7. Wofford 31
8. UNCG 21
- www.SoConSports.com -