Johnson C. Smith’s men have been picked to finish third in the CIAA’s Southern Division basketball race this season. The Golden Bulls women, led by new coach Steve Joyner, Jr., are the preseason pick to finish second in the division behind Shaw.

Senior guard Trevin Parks was the only Smith player chosen on the preseason all-conference team. No Golden Bulls women’s players made the all-conference team.

The Bulls men are picked to finish behind Winston-Salem State and Shaw in the South, while Fayetteville State was chosen fourth, Livingstone fifth and St. Augustine’s was sixth.

Bowie State was picked to win the Northern Division men’s championship, followed by Elizabeth City State, Virginia Union, Virginia State, Lincoln and Chowan.

Smith’s Parks led the CIAA in scoring last season with a 22.7 points-per game average and was third nationally. He is joined on the preseason all-conference team by Bowie State forward Byron Westmoreland and guard/forward Demetrick Scott, Chowan forward Quinton McDuffie, Elizabeth City State forward Angelo Sharpless, Fayetteville State forward Tyrrel Tate, St. Augustine’s forward Joel Kindred, Virginia State center/forward Kenny Mitchell and forward Damion Harris and Winston-Salem State forward WyKevin Bazemore, guard Marcus Wells and guard Justin Glover.

Smith’s women, who lost in last season’s CIAA championship game to Shaw, were chosen ahead of Winston-Salem State, St. Augustine’s Fayetteville State and Livingstone in the Southern Division.

Virginia Union is the pick to win the Northern Division, followed by Virginia State, Bowie State, Elizabeth City State, Chowan and Lincoln.

Smith’s Joyner Jr. is one of two new women’s coaches in the CIAA. Joyner comes to Smith from Winston-Salem State and is replaced there by A.G. Hall.

The women’s preseason all-conference team includes: Chowan forward Talaya Lynch, Bowie State guard Brooke Miles, Elizabeth City State forward Stephanie Harper and guard Shatara Jackson, Fayetteville State guard Akysia Resper, Livingstone guard Denyse Moore, Shaw guard Sequoyah Griffin, Virginia State forward LaMesha Deal and guard Brianna Holt and Winston-Salem State guard Taylor Wells and Alisha Hardley.

The 2013 CIAA tournament is scheduled for Feb. 26-March 2 in Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena.

Scott: 704-358-5889