Washington and Lee University
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) announced its preseason men's basketball coaches poll on Thursday morning at the conference's media day held at the Salem Civic Center and Washington and Lee was picked to finish seventh out of the conference's 11 teams.
Randolph-Macon tops the poll after receiving 10 first-place votes and 119 points. Virginia Wesleyan received one first-place vote and 110 points and they were followed by defending champion Guilford (88), Hampden-Sydney (84), Roanoke (79), Bridgewater (64), Washington and Lee (50), Eastern Mennonite (43), Emory & Henry (43), Lynchburg (30) and conference newcomer Randolph (16).
The Generals finished the 2007-08 season fifth in the conference standings and fell to fourth-seeded Roanoke, 76-66, in the first round of the ODAC Tournament. W&L returns three starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's team that posted a 15-11 overall record and an 11-7 conference mark.
Headlining the returnees are senior guards Chris McHugh (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) and Isaiah Goodman (Richfield, Minn./Holy Angels), along with senior forward Kirk Jones (Maple Glen, Pa./Germantown Academy).
McHugh started all 26 games last season and is the team's leading returning scorer after averaging 8.8 points per game and shooting 40.2 percent (35-87) from three-point range. Goodman also started all 26 contests and notched averages of 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game, while Jones started every game and posted 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Washington and Lee begins its 2008-09 season on November 15-16 as it hosts the W&L Classic. The Generals will take on Muskingum on November 15 at 2:00 pm and then plays Ferrum on November 16 at 4:00 pm.
2008-09 ODAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
(#) Denotes first place votes
1. Randolph-Macon 119 (10)
2. Virginia Wesleyan 110 (1)
3. Guilford 88
4. Hampden-Sydney 84
5. Roanoke 79
6. Bridgewater 64
7. Washington and Lee 50
8. Eastern Mennonite 43
8. Emory & Henry 43
10. Lynchburg 30
11. Randolph 16
--GENERALS--
