(WLTX) --- South Carolina State has been picked to finish second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in 2012 behind defending champion Norfolk State.
The Bulldogs, who had been given the first-place nod each of the last four seasons, received four first-place votes and 432 points, while the Spartans earned 11 first-place votes and 454 points in the poll of MEAC head coaches and sports information directors announced Friday at the league's annual Press Luncheon.
SC State (7-4. 6-2 MEAC) tied Florida A&M for second place in the MEAC in 2011 after winning outright championships in 2008 and 2009 and sharing the crown with Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M in 2010.
Norfolk State and SC State were followed in the poll by Bethune-Cookman, which received three first-place votes and 417 points. Next came the Rattlers of FAMU with two first-place votes and 354 points, and Hampton, one first-place vote and 268 points, rounding out the top five.
North Carolina A&T led the second five with 216 points, followed by Morgan State with 198 points, Howard with 188 points, N.C.Central with 116 points, Delaware State with 78 points and Savannah State with 73 points.