College Men’s Basketball News – Guilford Picked Third in ODAC Preseason Poll

SALEM, Va. – Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) men’s basketball coaches selected Guilford College third in their annual preseason poll. The rankings were released by the league Thursday at the annual ODAC Men’s Basketball Media Day at the Salem Civic Center, which also hosts the league’s postseason tournament. The Quakers share third place with Eastern Mennonite University.

Randolph-Macon College received 10 of the 12 first-place votes for 120 points overall and sits at the top of the poll for the second straight season. Defending league champion Virginia Wesleyan College received the remaining two first-place votes and was tabbed second with 111 points. Guilford and Eastern Mennonite both received 91 points. Hampden-Sydney College rounds out the top-five teams with 87 points.

This will be the Quakers’ 12th season with head coach Tom Palombo on the sidelines. Senior guard Matt McCarthy (Rockville, Md./Good Council) (14.8 ppg., 4.0 rpg., 2.8 apg.) is the Quakers lone returning starter following a campaign in which he led Guilford in scoring and earned second Team All-ODAC honors. After coming off the bench for the majority of last season, third-leading scorer Trevor Hyatt (Connelly Springs, N.C./East Burke) (11.4 ppg) will be given more opportunities to impact the Quakers’ season. The lineup will also be bolstered by the return of 2012 ODAC Rookie of the Year Will Freeman (Foxfire, N.C./Richmond Senior). Will Koppenhaver (Boone, N.C./Watauga) and Cole Greene (Walnut Cove, N.C./South Stokes) are the Quakers’ other two returning seniors.

Guilford opens its 108th recorded basketball season at home on Saturday Nov. 15th versus the University of Maine at Farmington.

2014-15 ODAC MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes
1. Randolph-Macon (10) – 120 pts.
2. Virginia Wesleyan (2) – 111 pts.
3. Eastern Mennonite – 91 pts.
3. Guilford – 91 pts.
5. Hampden-Sydney – 87 pts.
6. Roanoke – 66 pts.
7. Lynchburg – 64 pts.
8. Randolph – 53 pts.
9. Washington and Lee – 38 pts.
10. Bridgewater – 35 pts.
11. Shenandoah – 22 pts.
12. Emory & Henry – 14 pts.