Upstate Voted Fourth in A-Sun Preseason Poll; Starling Named All-Conference
10/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Macon, Ga. – The USC Upstate women's basketball team, coming off a 17-win campaign last season, was picked to finish in fourth place according to the A-Sun Preseason Coaches Poll released this afternoon by the league office.
In addition to the team being predicted fourth, junior center Brittany Starling was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team for the second straight year. The honor for Starling is her second in as many days as she, along with junior guard Brittany Clency, was named Second Team Preseason All-Conference yesterday by College Sports Madness.
Upstate posted one of its best seasons during the Division I era last year as it finished fourth in the A-Sun after going 17-15 overall and 11-7 in the conference. The Spartans were the third seed in the A-Sun Tournament and earned their first-ever trip to the semifinals after defeating East Tennessee State at home in the first round. Upstate also received a bid to the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) Tournament for the second time in program history.
The 17 wins compiled by the Spartans in 2013-14 was tied for second-most in a season since joining Division I, while the 11 conference wins rank third.
"This is basically how we finished last year," said Upstate head coach Tammy George. "We are not really putting any energy on this right now. Our focus is getting better as a team each day and hopefully come March we will be playing our best basketball."
Starling was named Preseason All-Conference last season and becomes just the second Upstate player, joining Chelsea McMillan, to earn multiple preseason accolades from the A-Sun. The Sumter, S.C. native led the Spartans in rebounding last season as she grabbed 7.9 per game to rank fifth in the conference. Starling finished second on the team last season in scoring at 10.5 points per contest and registered 17 games with 10 or more points, including a career-high 22 in the home opener against Converse. She had seven double-doubles with six of those coming against A-Sun opponents.
"I believe Brittany is one of the best players in the conference," George added. "It is always great to see players from your program get recognition."
Defending conference champion Florida Gulf Coast was picked to win the league this season after receiving six first-place votes for a total of 62 points. Stetson is second as it earned two first-place votes for 58 points, followed by Northern Kentucky in third with 47 points. The Spartans garnered 34 points in the preseason poll with Jacksonville one point behind them in fifth place with 33. Lipscomb (6th, 24 points), Kennesaw State (7th, 18 points) and North Florida (8th, 12 points) complete the preseason poll.
Florida Gulf Coast's Whitney Knight was named the A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year while Amber Porter of Stetson took home Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Upstate begins its season Friday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. against the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa. The Spartans open their home schedule on Tuesday, Nov. 18 when they host Converse at 7 p.m.
Atlantic Sun Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches Poll
Place Team (1st Place Votes) Points
1. Florida Gulf Coast (6) 62
2. Stetson (2) 58
3. Northern Kentucky 47
4. USC Upstate 34
5. Jacksonville 33
6. Lipscomb 24
7. Kennesaw State 18
8. North Florida 12
Preseason Atlantic Sun All-Conference Team
Pos. Name School
G/F Whitney Knight* Florida Gulf Coast
F Melody Doss* Northern Kentucky
C Amber Porter* Stetson
G Jama Sharp* Stetson
G Jenna Cobb Florida Gulf Coast
G Stephanie Haas Florida Gulf Coast
G Kristina Wells Kennesaw State
F Ashley Southern Lipscomb
F Cherisse Burriss Stetson
C Brittany Starling USC Upstate
Preseason Player of the Year: Whitney Knight, Florida Gulf Coast
Fan-Voted Preseason Player of the Year: Melody Doss, Northern Kentucky
Defensive Player of the Year: Amber Porter, Stetson
Fan-Voted Preseason Player of the Year: Kaitlyn Gerrety, Northern Kentucky
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