SALEM, Va. - The Emory & Henry College Women's Basketball Team has been picked to finish fifth in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference this season, ODAC officials announced Thursday. The release came as part of the league's annual media day held on the site of the Salem Civic Center. The poll is voted on by the 12 head coaches in the league.
The Wasps earn a fifth-place spot in the poll after reaching the semifinals of the 2015 ODAC Tournament and posting a (15-13, 8-8 ODAC) record last season. E&H had a streak during year where it won seven of nine games including its first two contests in the postseason.
It is the highest ranking for Emory & Henry in the past 10 years. The Wasps were picked to finish sixth prior to both the 2006-07 and 2008-09 years, and earned a first-place vote for the '08-09 campaign.
Lynchburg College, who defeated E&H in the ODAC Tournament a year ago, is the league favorite, but earned just six first-place votes (114 pts). Eastern Mennonite University is second (106; three FPV) while Randolph-Macon College (92; one FPV) and Washington and Lee University (89; two FPV) round out the top four. Guilford (80 pts.) is just behind Emory & Henry (81 pts.) in sixth.
Emory & Henry returns four starters from last year's team including a trio which were honored on the All-ODAC Teams. Senior forward Karina Farr (Graham, Wash.) and junior guard Megan Jacoby (Richmond, Va.) earned all-league third-team laurels while sophomore guard Chloe Harris (Bristol, Va.) was tabbed as the ODAC Rookie of the Year.
The Wasps have four other returners on the squad combined with 11 newcomers that include four players who were named all-state as seniors.
E&H will open 2015-16 with an exhibition at Radford University on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. The Wasps will have their first taste of the regular season on Friday, November 14 when they travel to face the Tigers of The University of the South at 5:00 p.m. Central time (6:00 p.m. Eastern). Emory & Henry will play its first home game of the year on Saturday, November 21 when it hosts Wesleyan (Ga.) College at 4:30 p.m., and will enter ODAC play on Tuesday, November 24 with a contest at Randolph College at 5:30 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Keith Lucas/SideLine Media
2015-16 ODAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes
| 1. Lynchburg (6) | 114 pts. |
| 2. Eastern Mennonite (3) | 106 pts. |
| 3. Randolph-Macon (1) | 92 pts. |
| 4. Washington and Lee (2) | 89 pts. |
| 5. Emory & Henry | 81 pts. |
| 6. Guilford | 80 pts. |
| 7. Bridgewater | 66 pts. |
| 8. Virginia Wesleyan | 57 pts. |
| 9. Randolph | 36 pts. |
| 10. Roanoke | 34 pts. |
| 11. Shenandoah | 26 pts. |
| 12. Hollins |
11 pts. |