The Blinn College men's basketball team was picked to finish third in the Region XIV Conference and second in the South Zone while the women's team was picked to finish fourth in the conference in the preseason coaches' polls released today.
The Buccaneers' men's team received two first-place votes while San Jacinto, which was named the preseason South Zone favorite, received six first-place votes. Jacksonville, picked to finish third in the South, received four and Lee received two.
In the North Zone, Navarro received 12 first-place votes and is the overall conference favorite. Navarro defeated Blinn in the Region XIV Tournament championship game last season to advance to the NJCAA national tournament.
The Buccaneers return just two players from last season's 27-7 team that reached the Region XIV Conference tournament finals for the first time in school history.
"I think we're very, very talented, but I've also been doing this long enough to know that we're very, very young," said Schumacher, who enters his 23rd season as a junior college head coach and first with the Buccaneers.
On the women's side, defending champion Trinity Valley received all nine first-place votes. Tyler was picked to finish second, followed by Paris, Blinn and Angelina.
The Buccaneers enter the 2012-13 season fresh off one of the best seasons in school history. Despite losing three players to ACL injuries before the season even began, the Buccaneers piled up 22 victories and advanced to the semifinals of the Region XIV Tournament.
"I'm as excited as I've been in five years," Jenkins said. "We have people who can put the ball in the hole and more skilled players than we've had in a long time.
"We are extremely young and our four sophomores have very little experience, but by February I think this will be the best team I've had in four or five years."
2012-13 PRESEASON COACHES POLLS
MEN
North Zone
1. Navarro (12) 95
2. Paris 68
3. Trinity Valley (1) 67
4. Tyler (1) 60
5. Kilgore 57
6. Panola 30
7. Bossier Parish 15
South Zone
1. San Jacinto (6) 83
2. Blinn (2) 70
3. Jacksonville (4) 67
4. Lee (2) 63
5. Angelina 45
6. Lamar State-PA 43
7. Coastal Bend 21
WOMEN
1. Trinity Valley (9) 81
2. Tyler 72
3. Paris 55
4. Blinn 50
5. Angelina 45
6. Kilgore 39
7. Panola 27
8. San Jacinto 24
9. Jacksonville 12
