No respect for 'Hound hoops in poll

WICHITA -- Even though the women's team has six returning players from last season and men's head coach Michael Cook is beginning his fifth season, Fort Scott Community College's basketball teams were both voted to finish last in the Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division in a coaches' poll released at a pre-season media conference here Monday.

Cowley was picked to win the East in the women's poll followed by Independence and defending champ Johnson County. Cowley finished fourth last season.

Coffeyville was picked fourth followed by Allen, Labette, Highland, Kansas City, Neosho County, then Fort Scott.

First-year head coach Katie Reihmann served as assistant the previous two seasons under Deanna Couch and has six players back, including Fort Scott High School graduate Megan McDermed, who was injured early last season. Also returning are Cheianne Ivy, Brittany Pearl, Erika McKenzie, Burgandie Lewis and redshirt Rachael Eldridge. Among the six newcomers are Danica Kelly from Girard and Rebecca Fisher from Osawatomie.

The Greyhounds finished 8-23 last season, 2-16 in the conference, which put them in last place.

Coffeyville was picked to repeat as East men's champ followed by Cowley, Independence, Neosho County, Labette, Johnson County, KCK, Highland, Allen, and Fort Scott.

The Greyhounds were 1-17 in the East last season, five games behind ninth-place Johnson County, and 2-29 overall. FSHS grad Pierce Rienbolt and guard Austin Danner will be the only returning players. Two other former Tigers, Tyler Adams and Gary Floyd, will also join the team. Floyd took a year away from the game.

According to a pre-season release on the Greyhound Athletics website, Cook signed 13 new players to letters of intent and also brought seven walk-ons to pre-season camp.

Seward County was picked to win the Western Division in women's play followed by Garden City -- coached by FSCC alumna Alaura Sharp -- defending champion Hutchinson, Butler, Cloud County, Barton, Pratt, Dodge City and Colby,

Defending champ Seward was also picked as the West favorite on the men's side followed by Hutch, Barton, Cloud County, Dodge, Garden, Butler, Pratt and Colby.