JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles women's basketball team was tabbed for a fifth place finish in the 2013-14 South Atlantic Conference women's basketball preseason coaches' poll.

The Lady Eagles received the most votes for a team that did not receive a first place vote, as Carson-Newman came in behind Newberry, Lenoir-Rhyne, Wingate, and Catawba in the balloting.

"I was surprised we were picked fifth," said Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey. "We only return, 28 points a game and I thought we had a pretty talented class coming in with the seven newcomers but a lot of time the coaches in this league don't know who they are. But I think it says a lot about the players we have coming back and that's a fair assessment of where we are.

"As always I think we can do better than that, and I think we can battle anyone in the SAC. It's going to be tough this year, it always is."

Sophomore Tatum Burstrom (Maryville, Tenn.), was the only member of the Lady Eagles named to the Preseason All-SAC Team, as she earned second team honors following a breakthrough freshman season that saw her named to the 2012-13 All-SAC Freshman Team.

Burstrom in her freshman year led Carson-Newman in scoring with her 11.2 points per game. She also led the team and was second in the league by hitting 37.7 percent of her three-point shots. She scored in double-figures in 14 of Carson-Newman's 25 games.

Newberry was picked to win the league by just two votes over Lenoir-Rhyne. Wingate and Catawba were picked ahead of Carson-Newman, but the last seven spots in the league were in ranking order as follows: Lincoln Memorial, Tusculum, Anderson, Coker, Queens, Brevard, and Mars Hill.

The Lady Eagles finished fifth in the SAC last season with a 9-9 SAC record, posting impressive wins over Newberry (57-39 on Jan. 12) and sweeping the season series with Wingate.

The Lady Eagles fell to the no. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels 111-50 in Chapel Hill, N.C., in the first exhibition game of the season last night. Sophomore Taylor Peterson (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) led all Carson-Newman scorers with eight points in her first game as a Lady Eagle.

Carson-Newman will next play its final exhibition game of the season, facing the fourth-ranked Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on Monday Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.

2013-14 SAC Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
 
Team                                     Points (1st-place)
1. Newberry                           114 (5)
2. Lenoir-Rhyne                      112 (4)
3. Wingate                             96 (2)
4. Catawba                            93 (1)
5. Carson-Newman                 74
6. Lincoln Memorial                58
7. Tusculum                          50
8. Anderson                          48
9. Coker                               47
10. Queens                           41
11. Brevard                          30
12. Mars Hill                         29
 
 
2013-14 SAC Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
 
First Team
Haylee Lepaio              F/C       Jr.       Newberry
Samantha Creed          G/F      Jr.       Newberry
Jazmine Charles           G         Jr.       Lenoir-Rhyne
Chloe Bully                  F          Jr.       Catawba
Antionette McPhail       C          Sr.       Catawba
Chantal Dunbar            F          Sr.       Wingate
 
Second Team
Janitsha Williams          G           Sr.       Wingate
Tuccoa Brackett            G           So.      Brevard
Shonice Pettaway         F            Sr.       Queens
Tatum Burstrom           G           So.      Carson-Newman
MaRanda Boddie           G/F       Sr.       Lincoln Memorial
Kalasia Green*              G           Sr.       Lincoln Memorial
Ansley Ricker*              G           Jr.       Mars Hill
 
* Tied for the final second-team selection