USA South releases preseason conference basketball polls

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Averett men and the Maryville women are the favorites in the preseason USA South Athletic Conference basketball polls released on Wednesday.

The Huntingdon women are ranked ninth with 54 points and the Huntingdon men are ranked 11th with 12 points.

In the women's poll, top-ranked Maryville received 11 of a possible 12 first-place votes and 143 points. Head coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team. Ferrum was second with 122 points and Piedmont was third with two first-place votes and 120 points.

In the men's poll, No. 1 Averett received nine of a possible 10 first-place votes and a total of 94 points. North Carolina Wesleyan is second with 75 points and Maryville is third with 74 points. Tied for fifth, LaGrange received one first-place vote, as did seventh-place William Peace.

The Huntingdon men and women open the season on Nov. 13. The men travel to Sewanee and the Lady Hawks open at home in the Huntingdon Tipoff Classic.

The complete polls are listed below.

USA South Men's Basketball Preseason Poll

1. Averett (9 first-place votes), 94 points

2. N.C. Wesleyan, 75 points

3. Maryville, 74 points

4. Greensboro, 67 points

T5. LaGrange (1), 64 points

T5. Piedmont (1), 64 points

7. William Peace (1), 63 points

8. Methodist, 40 points

9. Ferrum, 29 points

10, Covenant, 23 points

11. Huntingdon, 12 points

USA South Women's Basketball Preseason Poll  

1. Maryville (11 first-place votes), 143 points

2. Ferrum, 122 points                                                                                                     

3. Piedmont (2), 120 points

4. LaGrange, 107 points

5. Greensboro, 105 points

6. Methodist, 91 points

7. Averett, 82 points

8, Meredith, 71 points

9. Huntingdon, 54 points

10. N.C. Wesleyan, 41 points

11. William Peace, 35 points

12. Covenant, 31 points

13. Mary Baldwin, 12 points.