SPARTANBURG, S.C. - College of Charleston and Western Carolina are the favorites to capture the Southern Conference's divisional men's basketball titles in 2009-10, according to a vote by the leagues head coaches.  CofC junior guard Andrew Goudelock was also named the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year. 

The Bulldogs, who finished 15-5 and tied for second in the South Division last season, were picked to finish fourth. Behind eight first-place votes, cross town foe College of Charleston was picked to win the South.  The Cougars finished 15-5 in league play a season ago and advanced to the tournament championship before falling to the Mocs.  Wofford picked up three first-place votes and finished second in the preseason balloting with 54 points.  Davidson, which has won the South Division each of the past three years, earned the final first-place vote in the South Division and came in third with 48 points.  The Citadel (36) finished fourth, followed by Furman (24) and Georgia Southern (21).  

Western Carolina returns all five starters from a team that tied for the North Division Championship last season with an 11-9 mark in league play.  The Catamounts earned 10 first-place votes and finished the balloting with 64 points.  Appalachian State earned the remaining two first-place votes in the North Division and finished with 55 points.  Samford (44) was chosen third while last season's tournament champion, Chattanooga (39), was slotted fourth.  Elon and UNC Greensboro tied for fifth place with 22 points apiece.

In addition to the preseason polls, the coaches selected an all-conference team.  Goudelock, who ranked fourth in the league in scoring last season (16.7 ppg), was joined on the preseason team by backcourt mate Tony White, Jr.  Western Carolina and Wofford also placed two student-athletes on the preseason all-conference team.  The Catamounts were represented by Harouna Mutombo, last season's Freshman of the Year, and Brandon Giles.  Noah Dahlman and Junior Salters earned preseason plaudits for the Terriers.  Other members of the preseason team included Will Archambault (Davidson), Kellen Brand (Appalachian State), Willie Powers (Georgia Southern) and Cameron Wells (The Citadel).

This makes the second preseason nomination selection for Wells, who was chosen The Sporting News Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year. Surrounded by junior guard's Zach Urbanus and Austin Dahn, the Bulldogs will look to increase production from a 2008-09 offense that averaged 66.8 points per contest.

The season tips off with an exhibition game against Georgia Southwestern State on Sunday, Nov. 8. The regular season opener will follow on Nov. 13 when The Citadel hosts Kenyon College (Ohio). The Bulldogs then welcome Charleston Southern back to McAlister Field House where they defeated the Bucs for the second consecutive time last season.

The Bulldogs host 16 home games at McAlister Field House, including the College Insider.com Skip Prosser Classic, which includes Savannah State, Central Connecticut State and UVA-Wise.

SoCon Men's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish

North Division
Team (1st Place Votes)        Total
1. Western Carolina (10)       64
2. Appalachian State (2)        55
3. Samford                          44
4. Chattanooga                    39
5. Elon                                22
    UNC Greensboro               22

South Division
1. College of Charleston (8)    63        
2. Wofford (3)                        54
3. Davidson (1)                      48
4. The Citadel                       36
5. Furman                            24
6. Georgia Southern              21

2009-10 Preseason All-Conference Team
Will Archambault, Davidson
Kellen Brand, Appalachian State
Noah Dahlman, Wofford
Brandon Giles, Western Carolina
Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston
Harouna Mutombo, Western Carolina
Willie Powers, Georgia Southern
Junior Salters, Wofford
Cameron Wells, The Citadel
Tony White, Jr., College of Charleston

2009-10 Preseason Player of the Year
Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston