ETSU men selected third by both coaches, media as Bucs return to SoCon

During the SoCon’s Preseason Media Day Wednesday at the Lioncrest on the Biltmore Estate grounds, the conference office released its preseason poll and all-conference teams. Buccaneers’ head coach Murry Bartow was on hand to meet the media and participate in a live video stream show on the SoCon Digital Network.

The Bucs were picked third in both the coaches and media polls.

“It’s great to be here in Asheville and talking basketball,” Bartow said. “We’re really excited about the return to the Southern Conference and playing the postseason tournament here in March. I think we have a lot of potential as a team and I think Rashawn is very deserving of being on the preseason all-conference team. He is one of the most proficient shooters in the country and certainly a special player.”

The Wofford Terriers were tabbed the preseason favorite to win the title in 2014-15 by both the coaches and media. Wofford senior guard Karl Cochran was named the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year after being a first team all-conference selection and being named the SoCon tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 2014. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or student-athletes as part of the balloting.

Head coach Mike Young returns for his 13th season on the bench at Wofford and returns 11 lettermen, including all five starters, from last season’s team. The Terriers earned eight first-place votes and led the preseason balloting with 80 points. Chattanooga was chosen second (70) and earned the remaining two first-place votes. Head coach Will Wade enters his second season at UTC. The Mocs went 12-4 in league play a season ago and return seven letterwinners.

League newcomer ETSU was tabbed third (65), while Mercer was picked fourth (54). Both the Bears and Buccaneers join the SoCon from the Atlantic Sun Conference. Mercer was 14-4 in league play a season ago, while ETSU was 10-8.

UNCG was slotted fifth with 51 points, while VMI (39) edged out Western Carolina (38) for the sixth spot. VMI rejoins the league after spending the past 11 years in the Big South Conference. Furman (24), under the direction of second-year head coach Niko Medved, was picked eighth, while The Citadel (16) and Samford (13) rounded out the poll.

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