MOC men's, women's basketball teams ready

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 31, 2008 1:46 PM

• Print
• Email

MOUNT OLIVE -- Bill Clingan left many at Mount Olive College saddened by his retiring as men's basketball coach last spring.

Clingan didn't leave the cupboard bare.

Long-time assistant coach Joey Higginbotham inherited a talent-rich program and returns eight players off last year's team which advanced to the NCAA Division II East Regional.

"I am excited about the season," said Higginbotham during the annual preseason luncheon held Wednesday at MOC. "There are a lot of new faces that have to gel (in the program), but I feel confident in the talent that we have."

Back are preseason All-American candidate Kendrick Easley, fifth-year senior Chris Holloway and point guard Justin Melton. However, Melton will miss the first month of the season due to a slight meniscus tear, which was revealed during an MRI on Tuesday, in his knee.

Higginbotham told the Trojan Club supporters that Melton's absence further challenges the team, which faces two nationally-ranked opponents on back-to-back days in mid-November. The Trojans open the season with Lenoir-Rhyne and play Catawba the following day.

"We definitely have a challenging schedule," said Higginbotham.

The Trojan women have a challenge as well -- defending their Conference Carolinas tournament championship. Coming off a program-best, 21-win campaign, Mount Olive returns an experienced frontcourt, but will need to replace its backcourt.

Four full- or part-time starters hope to build upon the foundation laid by last year's team. The Trojans made their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance and recorded 15 conference wins since moving to Division II in 1995.

"We want to build on the successes of last year's team," said MOC head coach Wendy Lee. "It's new territory for us unlike other teams here that have won conference championships and made the NCAA tournament. The men's basketball team has set the standard.

"I am estactic about the group we have now ... a nucleus of players coming back who know what it takes to get back (to the NCAAs)."

Mount Olive opens the season at home Nov. 15 against Virginia Union.

Pedro Penate has adopted the same attitude as the women's basketball team. He and his men's volleyball teammates posted 15 wins last season, including two against Division I Harvard -- a first in program and Conference Carolinas history.

Among the nine returning starters are senior middle blocker Mike Carroll, junior opposite Noel Garcia and junior middle blocker Jose Lanier. Carroll, Garcia and Lanier hold several single-game and career records.

"We expect to have a very good season," said Penate. "We have a lot of returning players like last year. We just hope to continue off last season's success."

The Trojans begin their season at home in mid-January 2009.

While the men's and women's basketball, and men's volleyball teams offered their speculations for their upcoming seasons, the men's and women's golf programs have already started their year.

Each enjoyed unprecedented success during the fall.

The Trojan men won two tournaments and are ranked fifth nationally in team scoring -- an even-par 288. Senior Jonathan Greene emerged the medalist in "The Preview at Tillery" -- a tournament comprised mostly of Conference Carolinas teams.

"(Our success) shows that the guys have obviously worked hard in the offseason," said Greene, who starred at Wayne Christian School. "Hopefully, we can keep that going even though we'll have three months off until the spring season."

The Trojan women recorded top-10 finishes in three of four tournaments and lost to Anderson (S.C.) University in a 10-player playoff in early September. Freshman Valentina Urquiola was the medalist that day with a 36-hole round of 158.

"Both teams have already played outstanding this year," said MOC head coach Chip Spiron. "I hope that is a sign of things to come for next semester."

The men return to action Feb. 24-26 at the Armstrong Atlantic State (Ga.) Invitational, while the women hit the links Feb. 9-10 for the Tusculum (Tenn.) Invitational at Kiawah Island, S.C.