49ers picked to finish 3rd in women's basketball

The Charlotte 49ers were chosen to finish third in the Atlantic 10's preseason women's basketball poll Wednesday, while senior forward Jennifer Hailey was named to the first team all-conference and all-defensive teams.

The 49ers, 16-14 last season, have been to the postseason 10 consecutive seasons, including a first-round loss to Wake Forest last season in the WNIT. They return five starters -- including Hailey, forwards Gabby Tyler and Amanda Dowe, point guard Jai Forney and guard Hillary Sigmon, who made the league's all-rookie team last season. Charlotte, which opens its season Nov. 10 at Halton Arena against N.C. Central, received 206 points from the league's coaches, including one first-place vote.


Hailey led the league in rebounding and blocked shots last season, and is joined on the all-conference first team by Dayton guard Andrea Hoover, Duquesne forward Wumi Agunbiade, La Salle guard Brittany Wilson and Temple center Victoria Macaulay.

The rest of the all-defensive team: Duquesne guard Jocelyn Floyd, La Salle's Wilson, St. Bonaventure guard Alaina Walker and Temple's Macaulay.


Here's the preseason predicted order of finish.
1. Dayton
2. Richmond
3. Charlotte
4. Duquesne
5. Temple
6. Saint Joseph's
7. St. Bonaventure
8. George Washington
9. La Salle
10. Xavier
11. Fordham
12. Butler
13. Virginia Commonwealth
14. Saint Louis
15. Massachusetts
16. Rhode Island

-- The 49ers' baseball Green-White World Series is set for this weekend at Hayes Stadium with games at 3 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The rosters were announced earlier this week.
--  Charlotte's men's soccer team will be without sophomore midfielder Robby Thomas for the rest of the year. Thomas tore a knee ligament in practice two weeks ago and had surgery this week

Friday is a big night for the 49ers and the Atlantic 10. The 14th-ranked 49ers (10-2-3, 4-1-1) are tied for second place with VCU and play at first-place and  No. 13 Saint Louis (11-3, 5-1), while 11th-ranked Xavier (10-0-4, 3-0-2) is at VCU (8-2-4, 4-1-1).

Charlotte's Giuseppe Gentile is the league's player of the week. He had three goals and two assists in victories against Rhode Island and UMass last weekend. He's tied for the team lead with Jennings Rex with seven goals.