UNC Greensboro edged Appalachian State as favorite to win the Southern Conference’s men’s basketball North Division and Davidson was a unanimous favorite to repeat as South Division champion in a vote of the Southern Conference Sports Media Association.

UNC Greensboro received 12 first-place votes and 122 total votes to Appalachian State’s 10 first-place votes and 120 total votes. Following the Spartans and Mountaineers were Western Carolina (80), Chattanooga (68) and Elon (44). In the South Division, College of Charleston was picked for second place and earned 106 votes. Following the Cougars were Georgia Southern (86), Wofford (68), Furman (46) and The Citadel (24).

UNC Greensboro’s Kyle Hines was named the preseason Player of the Year by the media. Hines finished second in the conference in scoring (20.9 ppg) and led the SoCon in rebounding (9.0) last season.

Three Davidson players earned preseason all-conference recognition including Stephen Curry, Jason Richards and Thomas Sander. Appalachian State landed two players on the preseason team (Donte Minter and Jeremy Clayton). College of Charleston (Jermaine Johnson), Georgia Southern (Louis Graham), UNC Greensboro (Kyle Hines), Western Carolina (Nick Aldridge) and Wofford (Shane Nichols) also landed players on the squad.

North Division

Team (First Place Votes) Total Votes

North Division

UNC Greensboro (12)     122

Appalachian State (10)   120

Western Carolina             80

Chattanooga                    68

Elon                                44

South Division

Team (First Place Votes) Total Votes

South Division

Davidson (22)                132

College of Charleston     106

Georgia Southern            86

Wofford                          68

Furman                          46

The Citadel                     24

Preseason Player of the Year

Kyle Hines, UNC Greensboro

SCSMA Preseason All-SoCon Team

Kyle Hines (UNC Greensboro)

Stephen Curry (Davidson)

Nick Aldridge (Western Carolina)

Jason Richards (Davidson)

Louis Graham (Georgia Southern)

Donte Minter (Appalachian State)

Jeremy Clayton (Appalachian State)

Shane Nichols (Wofford)

Thomas Sander (Davidson)

Jermaine Johnson (College of Charleston)