The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) announces the 2010-2011 Men’s and Women’s Preseason All-Conference Teams and Predictions, as voted by the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
The women’s preseason team features five returning players from the 2009-2010 teams, led by Lane’s Veronica Jackson. Jackson, a 5-10 senior, lead the SIAC in scoring in 2009-2010 with 20.2 points per game. She was also the SIAC’s sixth-leading rebounder, averaging 8.6 rebounds per contest.
Eight players return from the 2009-2010 men’s all-conference teams, led by reigning Player of the Year Najee Lane of Clark Atlanta. Lane, a 6-4 guard/forward, led Clark Atlanta in scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
The Fort Valley State women were picked to finish first by the league’s women’s coaches. The Lady Wildcats, led by junior forward Kendra Evans, look to repeat as regular season champions after a 21-1 conference record, 26-2 overall, in 2009-2010. The Benedict Lady Tigers were picked to finish second after winning the 2010 women’s conference championship followed by Kentucky State and Tuskegee, both picked to finish third.
Also looking to repeat as regular season champions will be the Clark Atlanta men, who were picked by the coaches to finish in first going into the 2010-2011season. Led by seniors Najee Lane and David Brown, the Panthers will look to build on their 2009-2010 campaign when they finished with a 19-5 conference record, 24-6 overall. After winning the 2010 men’s conference championship, Tuskegee was picked to finish second followed by Claflin, who was picked to finish third.
| WOMEN’S PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM First Team Shonice Sprouse, LeMoyne-Owen, 5-9, Senior, Guard Tequlia Martin, Tuskegee, 5-7, Senior, Guard Kendra Evans, Fort Valley St., 5-11, Junior, Forward Alecia Young, Stillman, 6-1, Senior, Forward Veronica Jackson, Lane, 5-10, Senior, Forward Second Team |
MEN’S PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM First Team Najee Lane, Clark Atlanta, 6-4, Senior, Forward Eric Salley, Claflin, 6-2, Sr., Guard Jelani Figures, Morehouse, 6-4, Sr., Guard Lajay Sears, Stillman, 6-4, Sr., Guard Andre Nelson, Tuskegee, 6-6, Sr., Forward/Center Second Team |
Predicted Order of Finish
| Women 1. Fort Valley State 2. Benedict 3T. Kentucky State 3T. Tuskegee 5. Stillman 6. LeMoyne-Owen 7. Miles 8. Albany State 9. Claflin 10. Lane 11. Paine 12. Clark Atlanta |
Men 1. Clark Atlanta 2. Tuskegee 3. Claflin 4. Benedict 5. Stillman 6. Albany State 7. Kentucky State 8. LeMoyne-Owen 9. Morehouse 10. Lane 11. Fort Valley State 12. Paine 13. Miles |
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Board of Directors, have granted Winston-Salem State University full Division II membership and CIAA conference admittance; beginning this athletic/academic season. 
Lincoln University is less than two months away from becoming an official NCAA Division II program.