GREENVILLE, S.C. — Clay Hendrix recalls his time as a Furman assistant when the 1988 Southern Conference preseason poll placed the Paladins fourth. They ended up winning the national championship.
But preseason polls do provide some fodder for media and fans and this year's So-Con preseason coaches poll has put Chattanooga as the favorite to win the conference with the Paladins expected to finish second.
Wofford was picked to finish eighth with the Citadel selected ninth in the nine-team conference.
Wofford ended the year with a 2-9 record after consecutive wins over the Citadel and then #2 Furman to close out the regular season.
The Citadel was winless in the first year of the Maurice Drayton era, so it was no surprise the Bulldogs were picked to finish at the bottom of the league.
Southern Conference Preseason Coaches Poll
* (1st place votes)
- Chattanooga (5)
- Furman (3)
- Western Carolina (1)
- Mercer
- Samford
- ETSU
- VMI
- Wofford
- The Citadel
