Thursday, November 3, 2005
Contact: Chris Kilcoyne

 

Defending Champion Virginia Wesleyan Tops 2005 ODAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll

 

SALEM, VA – Defending Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men’s Basketball Champion Virginia Wesleyan has been selected by the league’s 10 head coaches as the favorite in the 2005 preseason poll.

 

The Marlins received six first-place votes and a total of 95 points to take the top-spot.  Head coach Dave Macedo returns four starters from last year’s team that went 24-6 overall, 13-5 in the ODAC and won VWC’s first league tournament title since 1993.  The Marlins advanced to the NCAA Tournament, knocking off New Jersey City 76-57, before falling on the road to eventual Final Four participant York College in the second-round, 90-80. Junior forward Brandon Adair is back in the fold after averaging a team-best 18.2 ppg and 7.8 rpg a season ago.

 

Randolph-Macon garnered 90 points and three first-place votes to earn the second lot in the poll.  The Yellow Jackets went 13-5 in the ODAC and 17-10 overall last season, advancing to the ODAC Tournament final against VWC.   RMC head coach Mike Rhoades returns four starters from last season including 2004-05 ODAC Player-of-the-Year Justin Wansley.  Wansley, a senior forward, averaged 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds-per-game last season. 

 

The Tigers of Hampden-Sydney placed third in the preseason poll with a total of 75 points and one first-place vote.  Sharp-shooting Drew Prehmus returns to a Tiger team that went 17-10 overall and 11-7 in the league in 2004-05.  Prehmus averaged 12.5 ppg a season ago as a freshman, connecting on 56 shots from behind the three-point arc.

 

Roanoke came in fourth-place with 56 points followed by Eastern Mennonite (55 points), Guilford (49 points), Bridgewater (48 points), Lynchburg (36 points), Emory and Henry (30 points) and Washington and Lee (11 points).

 

2005 ODAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll

Place   Team                                 Pts. (First-Place Votes)

1.         Virginia Wesleyan                95 (6)

2.         Randolph-Macon                  90 (3)

3.         Hampden-Sydney                75 (1)

4.         Roanoke                             56

5.         Eastern Mennonite               55

6.         Guilford                               49

7.         Bridgewater                         48

8.         Lynchburg                           36

9          Emory and Henry                 30

10.        Washington and Lee            11

 

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