Oct. 3, 2012

CHARLOTTE, NC- The 2012-2013 CIAA Basketball season kicked off Wednesday afternoon as the preseason All-CIAA team and predicted order of finish was released at the annual basketball press conference at the Charlotte Convention Center.

The predicted order of finish and preseason team was voted on by the CIAA women's basketball coaches association. Virginia Union University (North) and Shaw University (South), last year's CIAA Champion, were picked to finish atop their respective divisions.

Last season the Lady Vikings finished at 13-14 overall, good for fourth in the CIAA North and lost in the first round of the CIAA basketball tournament to Saint Augustine's 49-46.

Senior forward Stephanie Harper is an automatic honoree on this year's preseason team as an All-CIAA performer from last season. During last year's campaign Harper led the Lady Vikings in scoring and rebounding at 15.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per outing. In the CIAA she ranked 5th in scoring and 1st in rebounding. Her rebounding average was good for 11th in NCAA Division II last season.

For the second straight year Shatara Jackson has been named to the preseason All-CIAA women's basketball team. Jackson was lost for the year due to injury prior to the start of the conference schedule last year but none the less has been recognized as one of the top guards returning for the upcoming season. As an inactive player her scoring average was the best on the Lady Viking team at 18.7 points per game. When she last saw action during the full season of 2010-2011 averaged just under 10 points per game and led ECSU in assists.

The Lady Vikings will open up the 2012-2013 season on November 4 in an exhibition against Old Dominion University. For more information on ECSU Athletics, visit www.ecsuvikings.com and follow us on Twitter @ECSUVikings.

The complete CIAA preseason team and predicted order finish is listed below:

2012-2013 Preseason Women's Basketball Team Talaya Lynch (Chowan), Brooke Miles (Bowie State), Stephanie Harper (ECSU), Shatara Jackson (ECSU), Akysia Resper (Fayetteville State), Denyse Moore (Lincoln), Sequoyah Griffin (Shaw), LaMesha Deal (Virginia State), Brianna Holt (Virginia State), Danielle Ferguson (Virginia Union), Taylor Wells (Winston-Salem State), Alisha Hardy (Winston-Salem State)

Northern Division
Virginia Union
Virginia State
Bowie State
Elizabeth City State
Chowan
Lincoln (Pa.)

Southern Division
Shaw
Johnson C. Smith
Winston-Salem State
Saint Augustine's
Fayetteville State
Livingstone