Oct. 17, 2008

Atlanta, Ga. - Three-time defending champion Lee University has been chosen as the preseason favorite to win the 2008-09 SSAC women's basketball championship, according to a poll of the conference's head coaches. Shorter College received 87 points to place fourth in the poll.

Receiving nine first-place votes, the Lady Flames enter the 2008-09 season as overwhelming favorites to repeat. Berry College received the remaining two first-place vote. Emmanuel was projected as the conference's third place team, followed by Shorter, and Southern Poly. The top five teams picked by the coaches come in ranked just how they finished in the standing last season.

Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First Place Points) - Points
Lee(9) - 119
Berry(2) - 111
Emmanuel - 94
Shorter - 87
Southern Polytechnic - 71
Auburn-Montgomery - 61
Southern Wesleyan - 56
Brenau - 46
Brewton-Parker - 36
Reinhardt - 30
Columbia - 15

The Lady Hawks' 2008-09 season begins on Nov. 3 against Trevecca Nazarene University in the Berry College Classic. Shorter ended their 2007 season with an impressive 20-11 record.