Wednesday, October 26, 2005

PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE WOMEN PICKED SIXTH IN THE
2005-2006 SAC BASKETBALL RACE

HICKORY, N.C. — The Presbyterian College women’s basketball team received 23 votes in the and were picked to finish sixth in the race for the South Atlantic Conference championship announced today at the league’s annual preseason basketball press conference held in Hickory, N.C.

The Lady Blue Hose return the SAC’s leading scorer from last season in senior Rebecca Wessinger, a preseason All-Conference first team pick, as well as senior center Cameron Cook, a second-team choice.

After back-to-back conference titles, Wingate is the preseason favorite to come out on top once again. The Bulldogs received seven first-place votes and 63 out of a possible 64 points and are the heavy favorite to win their third consecutive SAC women’s basketball championship.

Veteran coach Johnny Jacumin brings back a talented and veteran team. Junior guard Tenetra Barrett was named Co-Player of the Year last season after averaging 14.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Teammate Veronica Taylor led the team in scoring and was in the top four in the conference in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage in the league last year. The pair was named to the preseason All-Conference first team.

Carson-Newman received the other first-place vote and 53 total points to finish second in the preseason poll. The Lady Eagles are ranked 16th in the DII Bulletin preseason national poll. Giovanni Booker is Carson-Newman’s top returning player and is on the preseason All-Conference second team. The Lady Eagles have some talented newcomers, including transfer Amanda Ray, a former All-SIAC player at Fort Valley State.

Mars Hill is third in the poll with 40 points. The Lady Lions have a pair of preseason All-Conference first team selections in guard Abby DeBusk, who led the SAC in 3-point field goal percentage, and wing Kristi Ferris, who was fourth in scoring and first in free-throw percentage last season.

Newberry, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, is picked to finish fourth with 37 points. The Lady Indians return two key players in Carnicha Bellinger, a preseason All-Conference first team pick, and Tonique Frasier, named to the second team.

Catawba is picked to finish fifth with 35 points. Hannah Davis is the top returning player for the Lady Indians and was voted to the preseason All-Conference second team.

Lenoir-Rhyne, under first-year coach Todd Starkey, is projected to finish seventh. Shannon Jones was named to the preseason All-Conference second team.

Tusculum rounds out the poll. The Pioneers also have a new coach in Missy Tiber, who comes to Tusculum after a successful stretch at Belmont Abbey College.

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