UMO women picked 4th in CC preseason hoops poll

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 14, 2014 1:48 PM

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HIGH POINT -- One full-time starter returns, but five seniors graduated and left University of Mount Olive head women's basketball coach Wendy Lee facing her biggest challenge this season.

Even with several new faces on the team, no proven point guard and no proven outside threat, the Trojans have been picked fourth in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll. UMO garnered 62 points -- four more than perennial power Barton, which was picked fifth.

Nationally-ranked Limestone (S.C.) collected nine first-place votes and 90 total points. Belmont Abbey claimed the remaining first-place nod, and compiled 79 points.

King placed third.

Finishing behind Barton in the poll were Erskine (56), Lees-McRae (40), North Greenville (39), Pfeiffer University (28) and Converse (18).

"(We) only have a few proven players who can play," said Lee, who returns nine players off last year's team that won 18 games for the sixth time in the last seven years.

"I like the eagerness to learn and prove themselves, which they really have to be able to do both or we're going to struggle for a long period of time. We may struggle anyway."

The Trojan women tip off their season today against in-state foe Catawba in the SAC-Conference Carolinas Challenge at Queens University in Charlotte. UMO plays Queens on Saturday.

Senior Ty Wallace played in all 29 games and started in 28 last season. The New Bern native averaged seven points and 7.9 rebounds a game. She posted a double-double (12 points, 14 rebounds) in an exhibition contest against UNC Wilmington.

Guard/forward Ana Zjacic started in 15 games last season and snared a career-best 13 rebounds against Lees-McRae. Forward Leah Graham played in all 29 games.

"The atmosphere is pretty good, so for me it's exciting as a coach because there's not any complacency. There's not any entitlement," Lee said. "They're clear that there are a lot of opportunities (to play), but it's not going to fall into their lap because others have graduated.

"They've embraced that."