Hornets hopeful with new recruits

Lynchburg College finished 4-22 last season and won just two of its 16 games in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference under first-year head coach Hilliary Scott.

This season, Scott has brought in his first recruiting class — a very large one at that. He hopes these newcomers will not only provide the depth, but some of the offensive and defensive firepower to complement the returning players and allow the Hornets to implement his preferred aggressive style of play.

“I wanted to bring in some guys that fit the way we want to play,” Scott said. “I think it is a good group and they have hit the ground running. They come from good programs and are gym rats that love to work out. They have all come in and accepted the challenge of turning this program around.”

“All the new guys are bringing a lot of energy and we are just kind of feeding off of each other and things are coming together really nicely right now,” LC senior guard/forward K.C. Mendez said. “We are going to bring a more exciting style. We are going to have fun. We are just going to have a blast out there.”

“We want play an up-tempo style both offensively and defensively, and to do that you have to bring the intensity every day in practice and be deep enough to play more than six or seven guys,” Scott said. “We are going to be more exciting to watch this year.”

Scott brought in so many young players that LC has fielded a junior varsity team for the time in several years. The JV team also has a can’t-miss game for basketball fans. The Hornets will host Hargrave Military Academy’s post-graduate team at 7 p.m. Feb. 4. The Tigers have five players who have already made Division I commitments.

Not only are there a lot of new faces, but there is a new attitude.

“It’s a whole different atmosphere now,” Mendez said. “Things are so different than my sophomore year. There’s a whole different persona. We are not hoping to go out there and play well. We are expecting to go out there and get a ‘W.’”

The Hornets have their work cut out for them if they want to win the conference championship as the ODAC boasts three of the country’s best teams. Guilford was ranked second on the Sporting News preseason poll and have preseason All-American center Tyler Sanborn.

Randolph-Macon College is ranked 19th in the D3hoops.com preseason poll, and the Yellow Jackets knocked off Division I American 49-47 in a scrimmage in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4.

Virginia Wesleyan won the ODAC tournament last season and extended its streak of NCAA tournament appearances to six. The Marlins are still only two years removed from back-to-back NCAA championship game appearances in 2006 and 2007. VWC won the national championship in 2006.

Guilford finished first in the ODAC’s preseason coaches’ poll. The Quakers received 10 of 11 first-place votes. The Marlins and R-MC finished tied for second. VWC received the other first place vote. The Hornets finished 11th out of 11 schools.

LC returns all but one player who averaged more than 3 ppg, but he will be difficult to replace. Mason Wooldridge led the team in scoring (15.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg).

Scott will turn to several players to try to replace his production in the post, including sophomore Nate Campbell, a transfer from Liberty University, junior Brad Kenney (3.0 ppg and 2.7 rpg), and freshmen Josh Caldwell and Austin Chillemi.

There also will be plenty of players for Scott to choose from at forward. The holdovers include seniors Mendez (9.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg), Jeff Langrock (2.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg), junior Danny Reed (5.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg), sophomore Sean Sutherland (5.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg) and freshman Michael Wims.

“We know exactly what coach wants in practice and in games this year,” Reed said. “We’re just a lot more comfortable with him now. We’re chomping at the bit to get out there and play. We just have to be real aggressive. You will definitely notice an increase in intensity every time we step out there on the floor from last year.”

Senior guard Steven Echols will be leaned on heavily. He was second on the team in scoring (13.7 ppg) and second in rebounding (4.7 rpg) despite being 5-foot-10. He also led the Hornets in assists (83), steals (48) and minutes (30.8 per game).

“We think we can beat any team in this conference,” Echols said. “(Our goal) is the ODAC championship.”

Seniors Jack Burgess (3.3 ppg, 38 assists) and Brad Puffenbarger (3.0 ppg), sophomore transfer Quintin Aldridge and freshmen Mike Roach, Michael Glover, Brandan Connor and Robby Kaiser round out the backcourt. 

“Coach always tells us to set our goals really high,” Mendez said. “When we play our game and our style of basketball, we know there is no one that can beat us out there.”