HomeUSC AikenInside Athletics Facilities Multimedia Tradition/Spirit Links Summer Camps
Baseball Basketball Golf Soccer Tennis

Home Roster Schedule/Results 2011-12 Statistics Enhanced Statistics SE Regional Media Guide Quick Facts 2011-12 Team Picture 2011-12 Game Notes Summer Camp MM Photo Gallery Mia's PBC Blog Photo Gallery Coaches Past Media Guides Junior Pacers Pacers in Community News Archive Statistics Archive Record Book Pacers in the Pros PBC Basketball
Cross Country Soccer Softball Tennis Volleyball

Photos

October 28, 2011

Pacers Tabbed Third in PBC Preseason Women’s Basketball Poll

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women’s basketball team was tabbed third in the 2011-12 Peach Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll.

The poll was released from the conference office in Augusta, Ga. on Friday, Oct. 28. Teams were given 12 points for a first-place vote, 11 for a second and so forth. Coaches were not permitted to rank their own teams. 

Defending NCAA Division II national champion Clayton State was dubbed the preseason favorite. Lander was second in the preseason tally followed by the Pacers. Columbus State was fourth.

The 2010-11 season was truly a year to remember for the USC Aiken women’s basketball team. The record-setting year concluded with USC Aiken having won a school-record 27 games.

The Pacers also won their first ever NCAA Tournament game and claimed a share of the Peach Belt Conference East Division title. The Pacers closed out the year having won 22 of their last 26 games.

USC Aiken reached the 2011 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship game in 2011, beating eventual national champion Clayton State in the semifinals to reach the championship game. The Pacers were the only team to down the national champions during the 2010-11 season.

The Pacers were ranked as high as eighth nationally and finished the year ranked a program-best 13th in the final poll of the 2010-11 season. 

The Pacers are primed for another run at a Peach Belt Conference championship in the upcoming season as they return eight letterwinners and two starters. The returners join a strong incoming class that includes one transfer and three prep signings.

The two returning starters for USC Aiken both were named to the Peach Belt All-Conference team last season. Hannah DeGraffinreed was selected to the league’s Second-Team, while Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield HS) was a Third-Team selection. Harris was also dubbed the Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year.

DeGraffinreed (Raleigh, N.C./Merrimack College) was named to the 2011-12 Peach Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team yesterday.

USC Aiken will open their 2011-12 season with an exhibition game against Atlantic Sun Conference foe and NCAA Division I institution Jacksonville at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5. It will mark the second straight season USC Aiken has opened things up with an exhibition against an Atlantic Sun school. Last year, USC Aiken easily dispatched of former league rival and current Atlantic Sun institution Kennesaw State, winning 79-61 at the KSU Convocation Center on Nov. 3, 2010.

The Pacers will begin the regular season at home at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 15 against 2011 Peach Belt Conference Tournament champion Georgia College. The contest will not be a Peach Belt Conference game though. 

2011-12 Peach Belt Conference
 Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll 

  1. Clayton State
  2. Lander
  3. USC Aiken
  4. Columbus State
  5. Francis Marion
  6. UNC Pembroke
  7. Georgia College
  8. North Georgia
  9. Georgia Southwestern
  10. Armstrong Atlantic State
  11. Montevallo
  12. Augusta State
  13. Flagler

2011-12 Peach Belt Conference Women's Basketball Team-by-Team Preview - Click Link to Access