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After surprising the rest of the league with a share of the conference championship in 2004 with a roster heavy on freshmen and sophomores, it is no surprise that Wingate University is the favorite to win the 2005 South Atlantic Conference women’s basketball title.

In a vote of the league’s eight coaches, Wingate received six first-place votes and 61 total points.

Coach Johnny Jacumin, entering his 25th season as coach of the Lady Bulldogs, will be looking to win his eighth conference title.

Junior Veronica Taylor has been a dominant player in the conference since her freshman year, when she was the SAC’s Freshman of the Year. She was a first-team All-Conference pick last year and is a preseason First Team All-Conference selection. Sophomores Emily Paffrath, last year’s Freshman of the Year, and Tenetra Barrett, are preseason Second Team picks. Paffrath was first in blocked shots and third in rebounding last season.

Lenoir-Rhyne, which shared the regular season title with Wingate and Catawba, is picked to finish second and received the other two first-place votes. The Bears return All-American center Crystal Clary, who led the SAC in scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage and steals. Shea Blacknell is a preseason Second Team pick.

Catawba, last year’s regular season and tournament champions, is picked third with 47 points. Senior guard Ashley Cox, who led the league in assists last season, is a preseason First Team selection. Catawba has won or shared the conference title three out of the past four years.

Mars Hill is picked to finish fourth, the same spot the Lady Lions finished last year. Mars Hill placed two on the preseason First Team in Kristi Ferris, who was fifth in the league in scoring last year, and Lindsey Jones, who was seventh in scoring.

Carson-Newman is tabbed to finish fifth. Center Tiffany Parker, who averaged 8.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in an injury-shortened season, is being counted on to lead the Lady Eagles. She is a preseason All-Conference Second Team selection.

Tusculum received 27 points and is the pick to finish sixth. Julie Maples, who finished sixth in the league in scoring last year, is a preseason First Team All-Conference pick. Maples is also a two-time winner of the SAC Scholar Athlete Award.

Newberry garnered 17 points to finish seventh in the preseason voting. Tonya Deese, who averaged nearly 10 points per game as a freshman, is on the preseason All-Conference Second Team.

Presbyterian will look to regroup under first year coach Jessica Vanco. The Lady Blue Hose received 13 points in the coaches poll.