The Gulf South Conference released its men’s and women’s preseason basketball rankings, and both of the Valdosta State basketball programs have been picked to finish second in the conference.

Alabama-Huntsville is the team to watch entering the 2011-12 Gulf South Conference men’s basketball season, according to the league’s coaches and the national prognosticators.

For the second year in a row, UAH was selected as the preseason GSC favorite, thanks to a unanimous vote by the league’s head coaches.

The defending NCAA South Region champion Chargers secured seven first-place votes en route to 49 points. They also collected a unanimous preseason vote a year ago.

Valdosta State finished nine points behind with 40 points, and got the other first-place nod. Christian Brothers came in at third place (35), followed by North Alabama (28) and West Georgia (22). Completing the poll were Delta State (19), West Florida (18) and West Alabama (13).

Alabama-Huntsville enters the season ranked No. 2 in the nation by the Division II Bulletin and No. 4 by The Sporting News.

 UAH also placed two players in the Division II Bulletin All-American list, with point guard Josh Magette taking first team laurels and forward Zane Campbell claiming honorable mention.

On the women’s side, Delta State has long been the women’s basketball program that has set the standard in the Gulf South Conference.

Entering the 2011-12 season, there are many that still hold the same view.

The Lady Statesmen were the unanimous choice as the GSC’s top team in the preseason voting done by the league’s head coaches. DSU earned seven first-place votes and finished with 49 points.  

Valdosta State finished nine points behind with 40 points.

 The remaining first-place vote went to Alabama-Huntsville, which placed third with 33 points. North Alabama (27), West Alabama (26), West Georgia (23), West Florida (17) and Christian Brothers (13) rounded out the voting.

Delta State, which went 28-4 last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II South Region finals, also enters the season as the No. 8-ranked team in the nation in the Division II Bulletin Top 25 poll. It is the only GSC team in the preseason poll.

Headlining the preseason All-Conference team is Delta State senior forward Veronica Walker. The All-American forward is the two-time defending GSC West Division Player of the Year.

She is joined by a pair from Alabama-Huntsville, sophomore guards Jasmin Hammon and Jordan Smith, and a pair of seniors, Christian Brothers forward Jasmine Ellis and Valdosta State guard Sczeny Hartry.

Hartry is the only Valdosta State player from either the men’s or the women’s teams to be named on one of the lists.