Women's Basketball | 11/9/2017 2:53:00 PM

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women's basketball team starts a rigorous 2017-18 schedule Friday night, hosting Georgia College in the South Atlantic Conference/Peach Belt Conference Challenge. Tip-off on ESPN3 is slated for 7:03 p.m. in Cuddy Arena on the WU campus. Last year, the Bulldogs compiled a 26-6 overall record with an 18-4 slate in the SAC. Wingate won the 2017 league tournament, advancing to the NCAA dance.
 
"Every game will be a challenge for us," Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock says. "People don't realize how good NCAA Division II basketball is. We must be ready every single night."
 
Hancock believes Wingate's post play is a team strength. "Our inside presence is a plus," Hancock says. "We have experience and depth in the post…we have depth on the perimeter as well, but not as much experience."
 
Wingate's six newcomers will have an opportunity to play a role in the Bulldogs' successes this season. "We are working hard to get our newcomers acclimated to the pace (of the college game)," Hancock says. "As always, we need to do the things which will help us have success: get the ball inside, limit turnovers and mental mistakes and shoot free throws at a high percentage."
 
The Wingate Athletic Media Relations department caught up with Bulldog head coach Ann Hancock to get her position-by-position breakdown…
 
Position-by-position breakdown

Posts
 
"Marta Miscenko and Danasia Witherspoon are a good combination for us. Marta's size and Danasia's quickness are both great assets. They have proven they can succeed at our level. They both present match-up problems for our opponents…with Marta's size and Danasia's ability to face the basket or work down low. Marta's presence can help others get open."
 
"Zasha Barrett is very athletic…she runs the floor and rebounds well. She has had some great practices for us this fall. Jordan Quick's competitiveness and fire and makes us a better team every day. We look forward to Teliyah Jeter's contributions as well."
 
Point guards
 
"Courtney Robinson is not a point guard by nature…but she works very hard to develop her point guard mentality. Our freshmen point guards (Aidahlia Kelly, Jailah Melvin and Brie Wajer) are getting better every day…the big question for them (and us)…is how quickly they get acclimated to the college game…and develop the college point guard mentality?"
 
"We will miss graduate student point guard Amber Neely ('16)…she did so many things for our team last year. She created opportunities for others…and made things look easy."
 
Shooting guards
 
"Our shooting guards will fill this role by committee. Caroline Averette, Lindsey Barker, Taylor Helms, Taziya Moody, Morgan Simmons and Jasmine Stephen each bring something different to the table. For us to be as good as we can be…and to relieve pressure on our inside players…these ladies must make shots to open up the floor."

SAC/Peach Belt Challenge Friday and Saturday

Anderson joins Wingate as SAC representatives at the Nov. 10-11 event, while Clayton State and Georgia College will represent the PBC. The four teams combined to post an 86-32 overall record last year. Anderson, Clayton State and Wingate advanced to the NCAA Division II post-season last year.

Fri. Anderson vs Clayton State     5:03 p.m. (ESPN3 video)
Fri. Wingate vs. Georgia College   7:03 p.m. (ESPN3 video)
Sat. Anderson vs Georgia College   2 p.m.    (YouTube video)
Sat. Wingate vs. Clayton State     4 p.m.    (YouTube video) 

Wingate picked to win league; Two Bulldogs named preseason All-SAC
 
The SAC head coaches picked Wingate to win the 2017-18 regular season crown. In addition,
Marta Miscenko and Danasia Witherspoon are preseason All-SAC first team picks (as voted by the league's athletic media relations directors). Wingate was second in the 2016-17 regular season race (to Lincoln Memorial). The Bulldogs won the 2017 SAC tournament to earn the league's automatic qualification to the NCAA post-season dance.
 
Miscenko averaged 13.8 points per game, 9.8 rebounds per game and 2.3 blocks per game last year as the Bulldogs posted 20-plus victories for the 25th senior college season. She scored double-digit points in 26 of 32 games for Wingate. Witherspoon was second on the WU charts with 13.8 points and 6.5 rebounds. She completed the season second on the WU team with her 50.3 percent field goal shooting clip. Witherspoon led the Bulldogs with her 47 total steals.
 
WBCA and NCSA love

The Wingate women's basketball team is number 14 in the WBCA NCAA Division II top 25 preseason coaches' poll. In addition, the defending South Atlantic Conference champions (26-6 overall) were named the most successful NCAA program in the state of North Carolina by the Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) organization.
 
Chart toppers
 
Wingate leads the SAC with 15 appearances in the NCAA Division II national tournament. The Bulldogs have an overall NCAA tourney record of 15-15 with Elite Eight appearances in 1995, 1996 and 2008. Wingate has won 11 SAC regular season championships and nine SAC tournament crowns.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,600 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 35 minors, 12 career concentrations, nine pre-professional programs, master's degrees in accounting, business, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in education, pharmacy and physical therapy.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 11 years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 96 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate is number one in this millennium with 96 Academic All-America® honorees. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 105 lifetime Academic All-America® picks. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.