Lady Pirates Picked Eighth In PBC Preseason Poll

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The Armstrong Atlantic State women's basketball squad has been picked to finish eighth in a preseason poll of the league's coaches, announced today by league officials.

USC Aiken was picked to finish first by just one point, garnering four first-place votes and 90 points total, edging out Clayton State, who had three first-place votes and 89 points total. Francis Marion received two first-place votes and 86 points, picked third, while Columbus State is picked fourth after receiving a first place vote and 76 points.

Lander is picked fifth with 55 points, followed by North Georgia (51), Augusta State (45) and AASU (44). GCSU (38), UNC Pembroke (21) and Georgia Southwestern (10) round out the poll.

New head coach Matt Schmidt inherits nine returnees from last season's Lady Pirate squad that went 20-11 and advanced to the PBC Championship game for the third time in school history. Schmidt will have to find a replacement, however, for Kaneetha Gordon, AASU's all-time points and rebounding leader who graduated last season.

Senior Lacey Willis (13.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg), who earned PBC All-Tournament honors a year ago and hit the game-winning shot for AASU in the PBC Quarterfinals, leads the returnees. Senior Lindsey Holmes (9.6 ppg) set a school record by knocking down 90 three-pointers last seaon, while junior Dartayvia Thomas averaged 4.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. Junior center Kelly Versluis (4.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg) also recorded 42 blocked shots, third-most in a single season in AASU history.

Three newcomers join the Pirates this season - junior Lauren Hall (5-5, Mesa (Ariz.) CC) and freshmen Lindsey Hill (6-0, Weatherford (Texas) HS) and Mallory Mitchell (5-5, Jenkins HS).

AASU begins the 2008-09 season on November 15, facing Fairmont State in the Concord Invitational in West Virginia.