Washington and Lee University
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) announced its 2008-09 preseason women's basketball coaches poll on Thursday morning at the conference's media day held at the Salem Civic Center and Washington and Lee was tabbed ninth out of the league's 11 teams.
Randolph-Macon tops the poll after receiving 10 first-place votes and 119 points. Lynchburg followed closely behind in second place with 105 points, while Roanoke (94), Virginia Wesleyan (83), Bridgewater (75), Emory & Henry (63), Guilford (57), Eastern Mennonite (50), Washington and Lee (42), Randolph (27) and Hollins (11) rounded out the polling.
The Generals finished last season seventh in the conference standings and fell to second-seeded Randolph-Macon, 75-65, in the first round of the ODAC Tournament. W&L returns two starters and seven letterwinners from last year's team that posted a 9-17 overall record and a 8-12 conference mark.
Headlining the returnees are a pair of captains in senior guard Bethany Ridenhour (Westwood, N.J./Holy Angels) and senior forward Kara Nadeau (Oakton, Va./Oakton).
Ridenhour played in all 26 games last year and led the team in assists (78) and steals (53). Additionally, she finished third in scoring after averaging 9.8 points per game. Nadeau also saw significant minutes in all 26 contests and notched averages of 5.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Washington and Lee's season gets underway on November 18 as it travels to Mary Washington for a 7:00 pm tip off time.
2008-09 ODAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
(#) Denotes first place votes
1. Randolph-Macon 119 (10)
2. Lynchburg 105
3. Roanoke 94
4. Virginia Wesleyan 83
5. Bridgewater 75
6. Emory & Henry 63 (1)
7. Guilford 57
8. Eastern Mennonite 50
9. Washington and Lee 42
10. Randolph 27
11. Hollins 11
-- GENERALS --
