CALIFORNIA - If the PSAC basketball coaches are right, this should be a banner season for California University.
For the first time in history, the Lady Vulcans have been picked to win the West.
On the other hand, the Vulcans are tabbed to finish second, despite missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990.
Neither Darcie Vincent nor Bill Brown, the California women's and men's coaches, expressed surprised at the coaches' preseason poll, announced Thursday at the annual PSAC teleconference.
"It's a show of respect," Vincent said. "Last year they didn't respect our program, picking us sixth. They know we'll be successful."
In her first season at Cal U, Vincent guided the Lady Vulcans to a 19-10 record including second place in the West at 9-3 and their first PSAC title appearance since 1994.
Although the Lady Vulcans lost two 1,000 point scorers in Holly Householder and Shujuane Brown, California University returns its leading rebounder, 6-1 sophomore Sameera Philyaw, and 5-11 junior Stacia Hamilton, who poured in a season-high 22 points in the championship loss to Shippensburg.
Other key returnees include 5-8 sophomore Krystal Cornish and 5-11 junior Kelli Sescourka.
The addition of three other players, however, probably sparked the coaches to pick the Lady Vulcans over six-time defending champion Shippensburg.
The trio includes 5-4 junior guard Jenni Morrison, 6-9 junior Susie Gyarfas and 5-9 freshman Sara McKinney.
Morrison sat out the past season after transferring from Slippery Rock, where she averaged seven points and four rebounds under Vincent.
Gyrafas, a 28-year-old native of Hungary and the tallest player in school history, played the last two seasons at Seminole Community College in Florida.
Vincent doesn't expect the West champ to win at least 10 conference games, as has been the case the past five years.
"It is anybody's race," she said. "There's more parity than ever before. I'm looking for the winner to go 9-3 or 8-4."
Shippensburg and Indiana were deadlocked for the second spot with Slippery Rock fourth, Edinboro fifth, Clarion sixth and Lock Haven seventh.
Philyaw was named to the pre-season first team with Shippensburg's Katie Bray and Jessie Gordon, Slippery Rock's Jackie Altenweg and Shelbey Wardman and Indiana's Sarah Zdesar.
The Vulcans, meanwhile, were picked behind defending PSAC champion Clarion.
"Clarion should have been picked No. 1," Brown claimed. "They have everyone back and added a great player in Dale Thomas."
Thomas, a 6-4 245-pound center, transferred in from Division 1 Middle Tennessee State, where he played for three years.
The Vulcans, who went 17-9 including 6-6 in the West last year, closed strongly with six wins.
"We're hoping the momentum of our strong finish will carry over," Brown said.
Although the Vulcans return three starters in junior Ishmieal Kamara and seniors Aaron Brown and Damon Taylor, Brown promises a different starting cast.
"We'll have three new starters in our lineup," he said. Seven of our players will be new. We've added quality depth and players who can make an immediate impact."
Brown is looking for big things from 6-8 sophomore Ryan Boles, a transfer from Mercer University; Sharif Brown, a 5-10 junior transfer from Philadelphia College and Tom Frederick, a 6-7 junior transfer from Morgan State.
"How well we mesh will determine how far we go," Brown said.
Indiana was picked third, followed by Edinboro, Shippensburg, Lock Haven and Slippery Rock.
Kamara was named to the West pre-season first team with Edinboro's Blake Johnson and Kenny Tate, Clarion's Steve Serwatka and David Shearer and Indiana's Keenan Holmes.
There will be a change in the PSAC Final Four. The games will be moved to Saturday and Sunday, with the championship at 2 p.m.
The West will host the women's event. The East will host the men.
