Greensboro College women picked third, men fourth in USA South basketball

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Greensboro College women’s basketball has been picked to finish third in the upcoming USA South season, according to the preseason poll of conference coaches.

Head Coach Randy Tuggle and The Pride have five letterwinners returning. Leading the way are two former USAS first team picks: Nikki Wilborn (Graham NC/Graham) and Danielle Duncan (Greensboro, NC/Ragsdale). Bianca Richburg (Hillsborough/Orange High School), last year’s conference rookie of the year, also returns for The Pride.

Christopher Newport University is picked to finish first. CNU received nine of ten first-place votes (81 points) as head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting. Last season, the Captains captured both the USA South regular season, and tournament championships.

Ferrum College, last season’s tournament runners-up, finished second in the poll with 73 points, and the remaining first-place vote. Greensboro College finished third in the poll with 55 points, while Averett University placed fourth with 49 points. Methodist University rounded out the top half of the poll with 48 points.

The 2010-11 campaign tips-off on Monday, November 15, when The Pride plays Guilford at the Greensboro Coliseum.

2010 USA South Coaches Poll
Rank, Institution (1st Place Votes), Pts.
1. Christopher Newport (9) 80
2. Ferrum (1) 73
3. Greensboro 55
4. Averett 49
5. Methodist 48
t-6. Meredith 45
t-6. Shenandoah 45
8. Mary Baldwin 24
9. Peace 18
10. N.C. Wesleyan 12

The Greensboro College men’s basketball team was picked to place fourth in the upcoming USA South season, according to the poll of conference coaches.

The Pride returns seven letterwinners from last year’s 11-15 team. Three starters–Adam Powell (Stuart/Jensen Beach), Chakiris Moss (Richmond Hill, GA /Richmond Hill High ) and Lewis Owenby (Black Mountain, NC/Owen)–are back for Head Coach Bryan Galuski. Last season, Powell was a second team all conference pick, and Moss was the USAS rookie of the year.

Ferrum College was picked in the preseason coaches’ poll to win the USA South Athletic Conference 2010-11 men’s basketball title. The Panthers will look to earn their first title since the 2007-08 season, when they shared the regular season crown with Methodist University.

Ferrum received five of seven first-place votes (35 points) as head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.

Christopher Newport University, last season’s USA South Tournament champions, finished second in the voting with 28 points, and one first-place vote, while Shenandoah University, placing third with 26 points, collected the other first-place vote. Greensboro College rounded out the top-four with 21 points.

Following an exhibition at Elon University on Nov. 1, The Pride opens the year vs. Guilford at the Greensboro Coliseum on Nov. 15.

2010 USA South Coaches Poll
Rank, Institution, (1st Place Votes), Pts.
1. Ferrum (5) 35
2. Christopher Newport (1) 28
3. Shenandoah (1) 26
4. Greensboro 21
5. N.C. Wesleyan 17
6. Methodist 11
7. Averett 9