ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Southern Conference unveiled the 2021-22 preseason poll and all-conference teams at the 2021 SoCon Basketball Media Day presented by Ingles on Tuesday afternoon, as Wofford was picked to finish fifth by the league's coaches and third by the media.
 
The coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or student-athletes as part of the balloting.
 
Chattanooga was tabbed first by both the coaches and media with 77 points, edging Furman by seven, as the Mocs picked up seven first-place votes to the Paladins' two. ETSU (59) and Mercer (58) were picked third and fourth, respectively, with the Bears receiving a first-place vote.
 
Wofford was picked fifth with 49 points, while predicted third in the media poll with a first-place vote, as UNCG (45) was slotted sixth and VMI seventh with 32 points. Samford (24), The Citadel (23) and Western Carolina (12) round out the preseason poll in eighth, ninth and 10^th, respectively.
 
Wofford finished the 2020-21 campaign 15-9 overall and 12-5 in league play, a half-game back of the SoCon regular-season title, and was charted among the CollegeInsider Mid-Major Top 25 rankings last season, ranked as high as No. 22.
 
Additionally, the Southern Conference ranked ninth nationally in RPI and 10^th overall in the NET rankings.
 
The Terriers, who return three starters and 10 lettermen, including senior guard Ryan Larson, SoCon All-Freshman selections Morgan Safford, Sam Godwin and Max Klesmit and junior forward Messiah Jones, look to return to prominence among the league in having featured in two of the league's previous three SoCon Championship games. Junior forward B.J. Mack returns a handful of experience for the Terriers, while the return of guard Isaiah Bigelow also adds to Wofford's scoring presence and length defensively ahead of the 2021-22 season.
 
Furthermore, the squad features a great deal of young talent at the guard position, including the likes of guards Keaton Turner, Austin Patterson and first-years Luke Turner and Corey Tripp.
 
Wofford will tip the season off on Tuesday, November 9, welcoming Bob Jones to Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium for a 5 p.m. opening night matchup.
 
Season tickets and single-game tickets for the 2021-22 Wofford basketball season are on sale now at www.woffordterriers.com or by calling the Wofford ticket office at (864) 597-4091.

Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year
Hayden Brown, R-Sr., F, The Citadel
 
Preseason All-Southern Conference team
Hayden Brown, R-Sr., F, The Citadel
Ledarrius Brewer, R-Jr., G, ETSU
David Sloan, Sr., G, ETSU
Mike Bothwell, Sr., G, Furman
Alex Hunter, 5th, G, Furman
Neftali Alvarez, R-Jr., G, Mercer
Felipe Haase, R-Sr., F, Mercer
David Jean-Baptiste, Gr., G, Chattanooga
Malachi Smith, So., G, Chattanooga
Jake Stephens, Sr., C, VMI
 
Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Chattanooga (7)      77
2. Furman (2)              71
3. ETSU                      59
4. Mercer (1)               58
5. Wofford                 49
6. UNCG                     45
7. VMI                        32
8. Samford                  24
9. The Citadel             23
10. Western Carolina  12
 
Preseason Media Poll
1. Chattanooga (18)    254
2. Furman (3)              220
3. Wofford (1)            191
4. Mercer (2)               190
5. ETSU                      186
6. UNCG (3)               160
7. VMI                        104
8. The Citadel             74
9. Samford                  57
10. Western Carolina  49