Jan. 30, 2013

click here for coaches' preseason All-C-USA team

Rice ranks No. 1 in Conference USA Preseason Poll

After winning the regular season title in 2012, Rice is the favorite to repeat in the Conference USA Preseason Poll, in voting by the league’s head coaches as released by the conference office.

Rice picked up seven first-place votes to finish ahead of Southern Miss, which placed second with one first-place vote. East Carolina was third, followed by UCF, Tulane (with one first-place vote), Memphis, Houston, UAB and Marshall.

The Owls have won either the regular season or tournament title in each of their seven seasons in Conference USA.

The 2013 campaign begins on Friday, Feb. 15, with conference play kicking off the weekend of March 22-24, with Southern Illinois visiting Indiana State and Creighton at Evansville. The C-USA Championship will be held at Rice’s Reckling Park in Houston, Texas. The eight-team tournament will be held from May 22-26.

2013 C-USA Preseason Poll

Team (First Place) (2012 C-USA, Overall Records)

1. Rice (7) (17-7, 41-19)

2. Southern Miss (1) (14-10, 32-24)

3. East Carolina (13-10-1, 36-24-1)

4. UCF (16-8, 45-17)

5. Tulane (1) (14-10, 38-20)

6. Memphis (14-10, 31-28)

7. Houston (5-18-1, 18-35-1)

8. UAB (9-15, 32-30)

9. Marshall (5-19, 17-37)