Troy University Athletics
Troy Picked Sixth/Eighth in Atlantic Sun Preseason Polls
11/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Ala. - The Troy University women's basketball team was picked sixth by the coaches and eighth by the media in the Atlantic Sun preseason polls, the A-Sun office announced on Tuesday.
The Trojans return eight letterwinners from last year's team that finished 11-17 and 10-10 in the A-Sun. Despite the returning experience, the Trojans are a young team with seven freshmen and sophomores on the roster.
Included in that group are sophomores Laura Lee Holman and Audrey Muse. Holman was named the A-Sun Freshman of the Year in 2004, and Muse was selected to the conference all-freshman team.
One position where the Trojans are not young is at point guard, where three-year starter Kerri Fiehrer returns for her senior season. Fiehrer was a second-team all-conference selection in 2004. She led the A-Sun in assists in both her sophomore and junior seasons, and she holds the Troy Division-I record for career assists.
Also returning is junior forward Alecia Jones. The Dothan, Ala. averaged more than nine points per game for Troy last season.
The other returnees are senior guard Laurie Tinsley, sophomore forward Velensia Hairston, junior forward Shasta Cross, and senior center Kandice Kirk.
Freshmen Rebecca Corbett, Myra Farr and Amy Lewis are the Trojans' only newcomers. Farr, a 6-1 forward from Pontotoc, Miss., earned honorable mention all-state honors from The Clarion Ledger after averaging 12.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game during her senior season. Corbett and Lewis come to Troy from Australia, where their Eltham club team won the 2003 under-18 Victorian state championship. Corbett, a 6-1 forward/center from Beverage, Victoria, was named most valuable player of the championship game. Lewis, a 5-9 guard from Hamilton, Victoria, is a member of the under-20 Australian National Team.
Defending A-Sun co-champions Lipscomb and Georgia State shared the top spot in the media poll. Lipscomb was picked first by the coaches.
The top eight teams will advance to the championship and compete for the A-Sun's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. This year's tournament will be hosted by Troy and the city of Dothan, from March 10-12, in Dothan, Ala., at the Dothan Civic Center.
Troy opens the season on Nov. 19 when they face Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn. The complete polls are listed below.
Media Poll (First-Place Votes)
T1. Georgia State (4) - 127
T1. Lipscomb (4) - 127
3. UCF (3) - 125
4. Belmont (2) - 114
5. Florida Atlantic - 82
6. Mercer - 68
7. Stetson - 65
8. Troy - 58
9. Campbell - 43
10. Gardner-Webb - 25
11. Jacksonville - 22
Tournament champion:
GSU (5)
Coaches' Poll (First-Place Votes)
1. Lipscomb (5) - 112
2. UCF (3) - 106
3. Georgia State (2) - 102
4. Belmont (1) - 88
5. Florida Atlantic - 66
6. Troy - 61
7. Mercer - 57
8. Stetson - 56
9. Campbell - 41
10. Gardner-Webb - 24
11. Jacksonville - 16
Tournament champion:
UCF (4)
