Thursday, November 04, 2004
Contact: Chris Kilcoyne

Randolph-Macon Tops ODAC Men’s Basketball Poll

SALEM, VA—Coming off a 23-5 record a season ago and the program’s third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament, Randolph-Macon has been selected as the favorite in the 2004-05 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll as selected by the league’s ten head coaches.

The Yellow Jackets received eight of a possible ten first-place votes to garner the honor. Sixth-year head coach Mike Rhoades returns Preseason All-American Justin Wansley to the RMC frontcourt. The six-foot-eight junior averaged 15.3 ppg and 7.8 rpg in 2003-04, earning him First-Team All-ODAC honors. Senior guard Justin Moyer also returns to the mix. Last season, Moyer scored 8.3 ppg and dished out a team best 4.3 apg.

Virginia Wesleyan finished second in the poll, earning one first-place vote along the way. The Marlins, who advanced to last year’s championship game, and completed the season 20-8. Head coach Dave Macedo returns three starters from last season’s club, including ODAC Freshman-of-the-Year Brandon Adair. The six-foot-five forward finished second on the team in scoring with 13.7 ppg and 6.8 rpg

Defending league champion Hampden-Sydney comes is third in the poll. HSC, which received one first-place vote, returns five players from last season’s championship squad. Leading the Tigers will be senior point guard Brian Gunn who scored 9.6 ppg last season. Gunn also led the team in assists, averaging four a game.

Bridgewater was picked fifth, followed by Roanoke, Lynchburg, Washington and Lee, Emory and Henry, Guilford and Eastern Mennonite.

2004-05 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Poll

Place Team (First-Place Votes)

1. Randolph-Macon (8)

2. Virginia Wesleyan (1)

3. Hampden-Sydney (1)

4. Bridgewater

5. Roanoke

6. Lynchburg

7. Washington and Lee

8. Emory and Henry

9. Guilford

10. Eastern Mennonite

-www.odaconline.com-