BEAVERTON, Oregon – Florida Southern Women’s Basketball was tabbed to finish third in the Sunshine State Conference in the conference preview section of the Preseason Women’s Division II Bulletin that was released on Friday, which is three days prior to the opening of practice.
The Women’s Division II Bulletin is celebrating its 20th season this year of releasing a Preseason Top 25 poll and conference previews of all of the Division II leagues.
FSC, who returns two starters and just six letterwinnners from last season’s 24-7 squad that advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA D-II South Regional the past two seasons, enters a new era this season as Holly Borchers takes over as the program’s head coach after spending the past six seasons as the top assistant for former coach Jarrod Olson. Olson stepped down following last season to accept the head women’s coaching position at Cal Baptist.
In the preseason SSC poll in the Women’s Division II Bulletin, Rollins was tabbed as the league favorite, while Nova Southeastern was picked second and FSC was tabbed third.
“Florida Southern (24-7) has a new head coach and should be in the SSC race again this year after earning an NCAA bid the past two years,” the writers of the Women’s Division II Bulletin wrote about the Moccasins in the preseason SSC preview.
Among the key returners for the Mocs are junior forward Morgan Lamberg (Mukwonago, Wisc.) and junior guard Taylor Maldonado (Stroudsburg, Pa.). Lamberg, who was named to the SSC All-Tournament Team, averaged 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season, while Maldonado averaged 7.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
In addition to announcing the preseason predictions in all the Division II conferences, the Women’s Division II Bulletin also released its Preseason Top 25 Poll and Preseason All-Americans.
Rollins was the only SSC team ranked in the preseason Top 25 as the Tars are tabbed 10th in the rankings. In addition to Rollins, two other opponents that the Mocs will face are ranked in the poll as Alabama-Huntsville is ranked 21st and Maryville opens the season ranked 19th.
The Mocs, who open preseason practice on Oct. 15, will tip-off its 2012-13 season on Saturday, Nov. 10 with a 5:30 p.m. game at USC-Aiken. The team’s home opener is set for Tuesday, Dec. 18 as they host North Alabama at 3:15 p.m. as part of the Terrace Hotel Classic at Jenkins Field House.