Oct. 13, 2005

Charlotte, NC - The votes are in and voters across the conference have picked the Rams of Winston-Salem State University to finish second to the Golden Bulls of Johnson C. Smith University in the CIAA Men's Basketball Western Division in 2005-06 as WSSU attempts to capture their first championship since 2001 in the Rams' final year of conference membership. 

The Rams, who finished the 2004-05 season with a 22-8 overall record and an NCAA South Atlantic regional appearance after posting an impressive 14-2 mark in the highly competitive CIAA, will open the season with four key returnees, all of whom recorded significant playing time in 2004-05.

WSSU loses three players from last season, all of whom made starts for the CIAA Western Division champions.  Rashad McGee, a guard from Waxhaw, NC who started all but one game at the point guard position and forward Terris Sifford, a forward from Cleveland, NC both were lost to graduation in May of 2005.  The Rams will miss McGee's 8.5 points, 3.6 assists and 77% free throw shooting in 2005-06 and will also miss Sifford's 6.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest.

Joining McGee and Sifford in the ways of the departed is rising senior forward Darnell Gregory (Fayetteville, NC).  Despite having a full year of athletic eligibility left, Gregory has left the team to pursue his studies.  A microbiology major with a minor in chemistry who possesses a 3.87 GPA, Gregory has decided not to return to the lineup in order to participate in early-acceptance internships for Dental School.  His presence in the lineup will be missed as he appeared in 29 of the Rams' 30 games, starting all but one. 

Despite the loss of three players, head coach Philip Stitt's cupboard is far from bare as he welcomes back a quintet of key players, all of whom started games in 2004-05.  Most notable of the key returnees are a pair of All-CIAA performers in guard Alleggrie Guinn (Sr./Charlotte, NC) and forward Audly Wehner (Jr./Fayetteville, NC). 

Guinn, a senior forward from Independence High School will return to the Rams' lineup for his senior season.  A lean and strong 6'3", Guinn has an uncanny ability to create shots and is a clutch three-point shooter who averaged 15.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.96 steals per game en route to all-conference honors. 

He is joined in the lineup by Wehner, a 6'6" forward with tremendous footwork who was a legitimate finalist for CIAA Player of the Year honors in 2004-05.  Wehner, who battled a knee injury throughout all of last season, and who may miss the first part of the 2005-06 season following off-season surgery, served as the Rams' post presence despite being outsized by every defender he faced in 2004-05.  In his wake, Wehner left a trail of opponents and earned a plethora of admirers as he recorded a team-high 15.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. 

A pair of All-CIAA performers, Wehner and Guinn ranked seventh and ninth in the CIAA in scoring respectively with Guinn ranking sixth in the CIAA in steals and Wehner sitting atop the field goal shooting percentage statistics.  

Also returning to the lineup for the Rams are another pair of guards in Frank Johnson (Sr./Washington, DC) and Roy Peake (So./Thomasville, NC).  Johnson, a guard with the size to fill in at the small forward slot, will bring with him his 6.5 points per game and most notably his 44.8% shooting from beyond the three-point arch.  Peake, the Rams' new starting point guard following the departure of Rashad McGee will again be looked to for ball-handling duties.  Peake, who is the only true point guard on the Ram roster will undoubtedly log extreme minutes this season and will need to be in optimal shape for WSSU to have success in the CIAA.

With a talented crop of newcomers joining the returnees, Stitt has amassed the largest WSSU team since 1988 with 17 players being named to the Ram preseason roster.

WSSU Head Coach Philip Stitt, the 2004-05 CIAA Coach of the Year, who enters into his fifth season with the Rams issued the following statement:

"We have a lot of new and old faces this season, all of whom need to step up quickly in order for us to compete in the CIAA.  With our losses due to injury (Audly Wehner), eligibility, and other personal reasons (Darnell Gregory), we have a very young and untested team."

The Rams open their season on November 3^rd, 2005 versus Wake Forest University in an exhibition game at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the second half of a Rams versus Deacons "Twin City Shootout" double-header. 

For additional information on WSSU basketball, contact the WSSU Office of Sports Information at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at WSSURAMS.com

CIAA Predicted Order Of Finish:

Western Division

Johnson C. Smith University

Winston-Salem State University

Saint Augustine's College

Fayetteville State University

North Carolina Central University

Livingstone College

Eastern Division

Virginia Union University

Bowie State University

Elizabeth City State University

Virginia State University

Shaw University

Saint Paul's College

Pre-Season All-CIAA Men's Basketball Team:

Kevin Bell-Bowie State

Derick Payne-Bowie State

Tyrone Smith-Elizabeth City State

Charles Clark-Johnson C. Smith

John Fulton-Johnson C. Smith

Claude Neely-Saint Augustine's

James Rosebud-Shaw

Avis Wyatt-Virginia State

Darius Hargrove-Virginia Union

Duan Crockett-Virginia Union

Audley Wehner-Winston-Salem State

Alleggrie Guinn-Winston-Salem State

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