ROCK HILL, S.C. --- The Tusculum College women's basketball team has been picked to finish eighth in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll, the league office announced Thursday. Voting on the poll was conducted by the conference's 12 head coaches.

The Pioneers were 13-12 overall and 11-11 in conference games last season under head coach Devan Carter, who took over on an interim basis at the start of the season and was elevated to the position permanently just prior to the end of the regular season.

Tusculum has three starters and seven of their top nine scorers returning from last year's team, led by sophomore forward Kasey Johnson (11.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and sophomore guard Sydney Wilson (10.6 ppg) along with senior guard Maelyn Head (9.5 ppg, team-high 23 three-pointers).

Defending SAC Women's Basketball Championship tournament winner Wingate received nine of 12 first-place votes and captured the top spot in the poll with 119 points, followed by reigning SAC champion Anderson with three first-place votes and 105 points. Newberry (99 points), Carson-Newman (86), Lincoln Memorial (74) and Catawba (69) made up the top half of the rankings, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne (65 points) in seventh, Tusculum (56), Coker (42), Mars Hill (39), Queens (27) and Brevard (11).

Tusculum will open the 2016-17 season on Friday, Nov. 11 at King University, with game time from Bristol starting at 6 p.m.

2016-17 South Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll
Rk School (1st)      Pts
1  Wingate (9)       119
2  Anderson (3)      105
3  Newberry           99
4  Carson Newman      86
5  Lincoln Memorial   74
6  Catawba            69
7  Lenoir-Rhyne       65
8  TUSCULUM           56
9  Coker           42
10 Mars Hill           39
11 Queens           27
12 Brevard            11