JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 10, 2005) - The Atlantic Sun Conference announced its preseason coaches and media polls during A-Sun Media Day Monday at the Carnegie Hotel, and the ETSU men's basketball team was at the top of many ballots.

Despite garnering the most first-place votes in the coaches' poll, the Buccaneers were still picked by both the media and coaches to finish second in regular season play behind defending A-Sun champion Gardner-Webb. However, the Bucs were picked by the coaches to capture the A-Sun  Tournament and its automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Meanwhile, ETSU senior guard Tim Smith (Newport News, Va.) was tabbed as the league's preseason player of the year. Smith, who has twice been selected as a preseason player of the year during his career, has decided to return to Johnson City for his fourth season after putting his name in the NBA Draft pool earlier this year. Smith is on pace to become the Bucs' all-time leading scorer, having finished seventh in the nation last season with an average of 22.2 points per game. Only one A-Sun player has averaged more than 20 points per game in the last six years. Smith will try and help the Bucs return to the same form that resulted in a 27-win season and a near upset win in a first round of the 2003-04 NCAA Tournament.

ETSU will host the 2006 General Shale Atlantic Sun Conference Men's Basketball Championships March 2-4 in Memorial Center. Fans can order tickets by calling 423-439-ETSU (3878). For more information on the A-Sun and the upcoming tournament, visit AtlanticSun.org or ETSUBucs.com.

Tournament Champion: ETSU

Tournament Champion: ETSU

Preseason All-Conference:

Tim Smith, ETSU - Preseason Player of the Year
Brian Bender, Gardner-Webb
Simon Conn, Gardner-Webb
Will Emerson, Mercer
Tim Jennings, Gardner-Webb