Smith Makes Preseason All-Conference Team

Tougaloo, Miss.-On Wednesday, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference announced the Preseason All-Conference Team and the Preseason Poll for this season. Tougaloo's Andravious Smith was selected to the five member team.

Smith, a senior guard/forward from Vienna, GA makes the team for the first time. Last season, Smith received All-Conference Honorable Mention, missing the team by just a few votes. During the 2015-16 season, Smith averaged 15.7 points and 8.4 rebounds a game. Since Smith arrived at Tougaloo, he has accumulated 849 points and 499 rebounds for the career average of 10.7 ppg and 6.3 rbg. Last season, Smith reached his career high in scoring at 33 points. During the 2014-15 season, he reached his caeer high in rebounds at 19 rebounds.

Smith is being joined by Dillard's Demetric Austin and Dennis Hightower, Talladega's Jordan Washington and Philander's Chris Ward. Austin was also selected as Preseason Player of the Year and Dillard was picked to win the conference title. Tougaloo was picked to finish 4th for the second consecutive year. Last season, the Bulldogs finished fourth with a record of 13-12 and 5-7 GCAC. The Bulldogs advanced to the conference tournament semifinals before being knocked out by Xavier University in 2OT 94-92. The Bulldogs return only 3 players with 2 players being placed on medical redshirt for ACL injuries.

GCAC 2016-17 Preseason Poll (First-place votes in parenthesis)
Team Points
1. Dillard (6) 48
2. Talladega (1) 43
3. Xavier 30
4. Tougaloo 23
t5. Edward Waters 20
t5. Philander Smith 20
7. SUNO 11

2016-17 Preseason All-GCAC Team
Demetric Austin, Dillard
Dennis Hightower, Dillard
Chris Ward, Philander Smith
Jordan Washington, Talladega
Andravious Smith, Tougaloo
Others receiving votes: Oceann Maddox, Edward Waters; Keith Williams, Edward Waters; Qua Doster, Talladega, Jarmell Anderson, Tougaloo

GCAC Preseason Player of the Year
Demetric Austin, Dillard