Men's Basketball Release - ODAC Poll - Guilford College

  • GUILFORD MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM PICKED SIXTH IN ODAC POLL

Salem, VA (10/31/02) -- Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) men's basketball coaches picked Guilford sixth in their preseason poll, the league announced Thursday at its annual media day at the Salem Civic Center. Randolph-Macon received six first-place votes and the top spot in the poll, just ahead of defending league champion Hampden-Sydney.

Fourth-year head coach Butch Estes returns nine letter winners, including two starters, from last season's 15-11 unit that recorded the team's best record since 1989. Guilford enjoyed a school-record 10-8 league record and reached the ODAC Tournament quarterfinals for the second year in a row. Junior forward Jevon Clarke (Apex, NC/Southeast Raleigh) is the Quakers' top returning scorer after averaging a career-high 10.7 points per game last year. Junior forward Josh Connor (Greensboro, NC/Northwest Guilford) returns after leading the ODAC in rebounding a year ago (9.1 rpg). Guilford opens the season November 22 at Division I East Tennessee State.

Randolph-Macon returns four starters among 10 letter winners from last season's 24-6 club that reached the "Sweet Sixteen" round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. Hampden-Sydney, winners of five of the last six ODAC crowns, returns all five starters from last year's 23-6 club. Roanoke, Virginia Wesleyan and Emory & Henry round out the top five.

2002 ODAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll

(first-place votes in parentheses)

1. Randolph-Macon (6)

2. Hampden-Sydney (4)

3. Roanoke

4. Virginia Wesleyan

5. Emory & Henry

6. Guilford

7. Bridgewater

8. Washington and Lee

9. Eastern Mennonite

10. Lynchburg