Oct. 31, 2000

MACON, Ga. - The Trans America Athletic Conference released its preseason women's basketball polls and preseason All-conference selections via teleconference Tuesday afternoon.

Samford University senior guard Aimee Cochran was named as a preseason All-TAAC performer. Cochran averaged 12 points and four rebounds a game last season while leading the Bulldogs to a 19-10 record and the nation's fifth best turnaround. Campbell University's April Cromartie was selected as the TAAC preseason Player of the Year. Georgia State's Leslie McElrath and Stetson's Cher Dyson were also named preseason All-TAAC players. UCF's LaToya Graham rounded out the team in the media poll and Campbell's Sara Moore was the coaches pick to round out the team.

Campbell, Georgia State, and Samford were picked by both the media and the coaches to be the top three teams in the league. Campbell is the defending tournament champions while Georgia State won the regular season last year. Both teams made post-season appearances as Campbell faced Duke in the NCAA tournament while Georgia State faced Virginia Tech in the WNIT.

"Playing in the NCAA tournament gave us a chance to see the other side of the fence, said Campbell head coach Wanda Watkins. "We will use the pre-season poll to motivate our kids but it will be the team that is playing well in March that is going to represent the TAAC in the NCAA Tournament this season."

"The pre-season polls are based on what happened last year," said Georgia State head coach Lea Henry. "Last year a lot of thing went right for us and we stayed relatively healthy. Our strength this season is going to be our size and quickness and hopefully we can put ourselves in the same position going into the tournament as we did last year."

Samford comes into the 2000 season returning only two starters from last year's team that finished third in the conference with a 13-5 TAAC record. "What happened last year was good for our confidence and for recruiting but as far as this year goes, last season is irrelevant. We have to take care of this year," said Samford head coach Janet Cone. When asked what she accredited Samford's turnaround last season to she replied, "It is what is written on our practice jerseys, We play hard. You can accomplish a lot of things by working hard. What you lack in talent, you can make up in effort."

The Bulldogs graduated 45 points per game with the loss of Jodi Morris, Clarissa Tomlinson, and Mesha Tisdel. Coach Cone was asked how she planned on replacing the 18.0 points per game Morris supplied. She answered, "We brought in four freshmen. One person is not going to replace Jodi, Clarissa, or Mesha. It may take four or five players to replace those three but we are going to be deeper this season than last year."

Florida Atlantic was picked fourth in the media poll and seventh in the coaches poll, Mercer was picked fifth by the media and sixth by the coaches. Stetson was selected sixth by the media and fourth by the coaches, and UCF was picked seventh by the media and fifth in the coaches poll. Troy State, Jacksonville, and Jacksonville State were picked eighth, ninth, and tenth in both polls.

Samford will have its Blue/White game at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4. The Bulldogs open the regular season on Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. in Seibert Hall against Alabama.