VIDEO: Mike Mincey Interview

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Thursday afternoon marked the release of the 2016-17 South Atlantic Conference preseason coaches' poll that saw Carson-Newman ranked fourth with 81 points.

"The last couple of years, on paper, we felt like we were pretty good," Carson-Newman coach Mike Mincey said. "Starting with me and down through the players, we had really high expectations. We probably got a little ahead of ourselves especially with the way we started the season. It's nice to be picked fourth and be in the top-third of your league. It's a credit to our kids and the players that we have. At the same time, I'm sure every coach in the league will feel this way, it's a preseason ranking. It doesn't mean a whole lot and everyone is going to want to finish in the top four at the end of the year."

Carson-Newman finished the 2015-16 conference season with a 12-10 record marking the sixth time in the last eight years with a record above .500. In those eight seasons, the Lady Eagles have not finished below .500 in league play.

The Lady Eagles have won at least 10 games in the SAC play three straight seasons and 12 times in school history just shy of the record mark of four consecutive from 1989-90 to 1992-93 totaling 46 wins in that span.

C-N broke the program's three-point record on Feb. 10, 2016 against Anderson (S.C.). The Lady Eagles made 212 triples in 2015-16. The previous record was 178 made three-pointers set during the 2013-14 season.

C-N topped No. 17 Anderson in overtime on Feb. 10 marking the third nationally-ranked team beaten this season, the most by a C-N teams since at least 2000. It was the first overtime win since beating Anderson 89-80 on Feb. 19, 2014.

Mincey's group returns 63 percent of its scoring and 74 percent of its rebounding to this year's squad. Three seniors and three juniors lead the returning group.

Senior guard Kailyn Brooks (Lafayette, Tenn.), a preseason first-team All-SAC pick, leads the charge after tying for the team lead with 13.8 points per game and enters the year with 123 three-pointers, sixth in program history, and 224 points short of 1,000 for her career.

Among the newcomers, Western Carolina transfer Mika Wester (Newport, Tenn.) scored a team-high 11 points against North Carolina Wednesday night. Lee transfer Haris Price added five points, three assists and three boards in 20 minutes against the Tar Heels.

"We had a conversation in our locker room after the Carolina game," Mincey said. "If you are going to play for this team. With the way we recruited and the type of player we have, you're not going to play 38 minutes a night. We have 10-12 players that all deserve to play. There's really no drop-off from our starting five to our bench."

Wingate, the defending SAC Tournament champion, was picked as the favorite with nine first-place votes. The Bulldogs were one of two teams to qualify for the NCAA Championships a season ago falling as the No. 6 seed to third-seeded Columbus State 79-72. Coach Ann Hancock's team finished second in the league a year ago and returns preseason second-team guard Shelby Tricoli and a pair of all-freshman performers from a year ago in Danasia Witherspoon and Courtney Robinson.

The two-time defending league champions, Anderson (S.C.) was slated for a second-place finish while picking up the final three first-place votes. Coach Jimmy Garrity moved onto Wofford leaving the reigns to Jonathon Barbaree.

The Trojans have three seniors on the preseason all-conference team led by first-team pick Heather Jankowy as Alexis Dillard and Jasmine Franklin were on the second team. Anderson will have to replace the conference Player of the Year from last season in Jennifer Monroe.

Newberry finished third in the league a season ago going 17-13 and 15-7 in conference action before bouncing the Lady Eagles in the SAC Championships Quarterfinals. Sean Page has a big hole to fill as All-American Samantha Creed has graduated.

The Wolves have a pair of preseason All-SAC performers as sophomore Meg Essex made the first team after being named the Freshman of the Year in the league in 2015-16. Junior guard Nicola Handreck averaged 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists a season ago to earn a spot on the second team.

Below Carson-Newman is Lincoln Memorial who also finished fifth as season ago tallying its best record since 2003-04 going 17-12 (13-9) and advanced to the SAC Championships semifinals for the first time in school history. Senior Megan Pittman, the conference's leader in rebounds with 10 per night last year, was named preseason first-team All-SAC after leading the Railsplitters in six stat categories.

Catawba edged out Lenoir-Rhyne for sixth as the Indians placed guard Bri Johnson on the preseason first-team All-SAC after earning a spot on the top team last year. Johnson was second in the league with 15.8 points per game. Terri Rogers also picked up a first-team nod from the coaches.

Lenoir-Rhyne tied for eighth and lost to Anderson 64-48 in the opening round of the SAC Championships last season. There were no Bears represented on the postseason all-conference last year or the preseason list this season.

Tusculum slides into the eighth slot and needs to replace first-team All-SAC pick Shynese Whitener who led the conference with 18.1 points per game last year. The Pioneers do return three starters and seven of their top nine scorers led by sophomore Kasey Johnson's 11.8 points per night.

Coker was slated for a ninth-place finish after going 9-19 overall a season ago. Second-team All-SAC pick Jazz Green is out the door but junior Kendra Lambert and senior Terrika Foster lead the charge. Lambert was fourth in the league with 70 three-pointers while Foster started all 28 games.

Preseason second-team All-SAC pick Paige Chavis leads Mars Hill, projected for a 10^th-place completion to 2016-17. First-year coach Jenny Finora replaces Sarah Jansen who left for Queens after guiding the Lions to a fourth-place spot and a 14-8 SAC record last season.

Queens was 5-22 with a 3-19 mark in league action and return 10 upperclassmen to this year's roster. CoSIDA Academic All-District McKell Oliverio expects to lead the group with 11.7 points per night in 2015-16 with Carmen Richardson's 12.1 points per night in 25 games.

Brevard was picked to finish last after doing so a year ago with a 1-25 record and losing all 22 games in league play in succession to end the year. Preseason second-team All-SAC pick Madison Lenox was tied for second in the conference with 15.8 points per game.

Carson-Newman plays its second exhibition contest at Thompson-Boling Arena against the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers on Monday night at 7 p.m. Broadcast coverage will begin 15 minutes prior to the opening tip on the Eagle Sports Network's flagship station Mountain Country 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.