Trojan men picked 2nd in CVAC men's basketball

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on October 25, 2006 2:15 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Nationally 19th-ranked Mount Olive received one first-place vote and was picked No. 2 in the 2006-07 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Preseason Men's Basketball Poll.

Guard Elton Coffield and forward Elijah Rouse were listed among "Players To Watch" in the CVAC.

Mount Olive brings back three starters from last year's squad, which posted a 25-7 record to eclipse the 20-win mark for the third year in a row. The Trojans also reached the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship for the third consecutive year, defeating No. 18 Shippensburg 86-83 in the first round of the East Regional. The Trojans advanced to the NCAA II Elite Eight in 2005.

Coffield, a 6-4 senior from Williamston (Williamston HS), is a two-time All-CVAC selection. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2005 NCAA II East Regional. Coffield enters this season with 1,353 career points.

Rouse, a 6-4 senior from Kinston (North Lenoir HS) was named to the 2005-06 All-CVAC second team. Rouse, who scored a career-high 24 points in last year's CVAC Tournament championship game. He ranked in the top five in the conference in rebounding.

Mount Olive received 85 points in the poll to finish two points ahead of third-place Pfeiffer. Defending conference champion Barton received the remaining 10 first-place votes and finished atop the poll with 100 points.

Mount Olive plays host to Athletes-In-Action in an exhibition game Monday night, then travels to Washington, D.C. on Nov. 4 to take on American University in another exhibition. The Trojans tip off their regular season Nov. 17-18 as Mount Olive plays host to the 41st Annual Pickle Classic at Kornegay Arena.