Guilford Picked Fifth in ODAC Preseason Basketball Poll

Guilford Picked Fifth in ODAC Preseason Basketball Poll

*Greensboro, N.C. (10/28/10) –* Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC)
men’s basketball coaches picked Guilford College fifth in the league’s
annual preseason poll Wednesday. League officials released the 2010-11 poll
at the annual media day at the Salem (Va.) Civic Center. The Quakers
received 82 total points within the poll. Eastern Mennonite University
received 11 first place votes, tallying 115 points, while Randolph Macon
received 3 first place votes and 112 points. Virginia Wesleyan closely
trailed with 99 points. The top three teams are coming off of 20-plus win
seasons.

Guilford returns this season after making a trip to the 2010 NCAA Division
III National Championship Series, where it reached the national semifinals.
Guilford (30-3, 14-2) is looking to continue their success in the 2010-11
season following the graduation of Division III national Player of the Year
*Tyler Sanborn ’10*, *Clay Henson ’10*, and *Rhett Bonner ’10*. Coach *Tom
Palombo* and new assistant coach Caleb Kimbrough ’08 welcome back 10 letter
winners this season. Seniors *T.C. Anderson* and *Martin Stephenson* have
the most game experience of the returning veterans. Anderson so far in his
76-game career has played more of a defensive role for the Quakers.
Stephenson, who has played in 90 career games, improved his shooting
percentage to 51 percent. Veterans of the junior class include center Justin
Stafford and guard *Gabriel Lowder*. Sophomore guard *Josh Pittman* is the
Quakers top returning scorer with an average of 6.9 points per game last
year.

The Quakers begin their campaign with on November 15th when they meet
cross-town rival Greensboro College in the Greensboro Coliseum. Before the
season officially begins, the Quakers have scheduled exhibition matchups
against the Italian Junior National Team and the Atlantic Coast Conference’s
Wake Forest University. The Quakers travel to Winston-Salem to take on the
Demon Deacons on November 5th. This year’s schedule also includes the
Hilton Garden Inn Invitational hosted by the Quakers. The teams in this
tournament include McMurry (Texas), Emory, and Averett.

Palombo brings a 177-59 record after eight seasons with the Quakers. He
returns two starters among 11 letter winners from last year’s club that
captured both the ODAC regular-season and tournament titles. The Quakers
open up their season this Tuesday (Nov. 2) as they host the Italian Junior
National Team in an exhibition matchup.

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Matthew Grosso
Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach
Assistant Sports Information Director
Guilford College