Waynesburg's men and Thomas More's women were picked as the favorites to win the Presidents' Athletic Conference this season, the final season the conference will be without an automatic bid.

Waynesburg got the most total votes in the men's preseason poll but voters split widely on Washington and Jefferson. W&J got 12 No. 1 votes to Waynesburg's eight, but Waynesburg ended up leading 171-160 in total points. Bethany finished third and received five No. 1 votes, while Westminster (Pa.) was fourth with three. Grove City, Thiel and Thomas More followed. The vote was cast by coaches, SIDs and media at the conference's media day.

Waynesburg returns four of its five starters and more than 87% of its scoring from last season. The Yellow Jackets lost in the conference championship game last year to Bethany, which lost three all-conference performers. In last season's pre-season media day poll, Waynesburg was picked to finish last in the seven-team conference.

"Our success last year was a reflection of our players really buying into what we were teaching them," said coach Frank Ferraro. "Being picked first in the PAC this year is a result of their hard work."

Thomas More, who finished second on the women's side last season and returned four starters, received 23 of 31 first place votes and a total of 208 points. Defending PAC champion Washington & Jefferson was second with 151 total points and three first-place votes, followed by Westminster (three first-place votes), Waynesburg, Bethany (one), Thiel (one) and Grove City.

"It's nice to receive recognition for our program, and I just hope the voters are as accurate as last year (when preseason favorite Washington & Jefferson won the title)," said third-year Thomas More coach Brian Neal. "We have a pretty experienced returning core and those players are looking forward to the challenge ahead."

Thiel got a first-place vote despite finishing 7-19 last season.

St. Vincent, which was originally slated to join the conference this season, asked the NCAA for a one-year deferment on joining the organization from the NAIA. The deferment request was apparently either turned down or withdrawn. The school will play a full conference schedule, but its contests do not count in the PAC standings.