For third straight season, XU Nuggets picked 1st in GCAC

NEW ORLEANS — The women's basketball coaches of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference expect Xavier University of Louisiana to do it again.
    

The Gold Nuggets have been picked to repeat as GCAC champions, based on a coaches poll announced Wednesday. It's the third straight year that Xavier is the top preseason choice.
    

Returnees for the Gold Nuggets in 2012-13 include senior guard SiMon Franklin, the team's leading scorer this past season and the MVP of the GCAC Tournament, and No. 3 rebounder Carmen Holcombe, a junior forward. The season will begin in early November, and 14th-year coach Bo Browder hopes to announce the schedule by the end of this week.
    

The Gold Nuggets received seven first-place votes and 49 points. Talladega received the other first-place vote and was second with 42 points. Xavier beat Talladega 58-50 this past season to win its third consecutive GCAC Tournament.
    

It's the 10th time in 11 seasons that the Nuggets finished in the top two of the coaches poll.
    

Xavier will attempt to reach 20 victories for the 12th consecutive season, which would extend a school record, and for the 20th time in 21 seasons. The Gold Nuggets also will try to qualify for the NAIA Division I National Championship for the fourth consecutive year and the 17th time in 19 seasons. Xavier is 44-2 against GCAC opponents since the start of the 2009-10 season.

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Women's Basketball 2012-13 Preseason Coaches Poll (first-place votes in parentheses) No. School Points 1. Xavier (7) 49 2. Talladega (1) 42 3. SUNO 34 4. Tougaloo 33 5. Dillard 26 6. Edward Waters 18 7. Philander Smith 12 8. Fisk 10 Xavier in previous GCAC polls 2011-12 — 1st 2010-11 — 1st 2009-10 — 2nd 2008-09 — 1st 2007-08 — 2nd 2006-07 — 3rd       2004-05 — 1st 2003-04 — 2nd 2002-03 — 2nd 2001-02 — 1st 1999-2000 — 1st 1993-94 — 1st

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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