W&L WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PICKED 10TH IN ODAC PRESEASON POLL

LEXINGTON, Va. -- The Washington and Lee women's basketball team was picked to finish 10th in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll which was released Thursday morning.

Guilford sits atop the poll with eight first place votes, and is trailed by Bridgewater (one first place vote), Emory & Henry, Roanoke (one first place vote) and Eastern Mennonite (one first place vote). Randolph-Macon, Lynchburg, Virginia Wesleyan, Hollins, W&L and Randolph-Macon Woman's College round out the polling.

The Generals (12-14, 9-11 ODAC in 2001-02) graduated five seniors from last season, including Jessica Mentz, the ODAC Player of the Year, and Megan Babst, a Second Team All-ODAC honoree. W&L returns two starters and five letterwinners to the fold this season.

The Generals' returnees are headed by sophomores Emily Barker (Clifton, Va./Mount Vernon), who averaged 6.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, and Bethany Dannelly (Raleigh, N.C./William G. Enloe) who established a new W&L standard for assists in a season with 152.

W&L's season gets underway November 22 when it plays Richard Stockton College (N.J.) in the Scranton University Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm.

--GENERALS--