The 30,600-plus people who follow StephenCurry30 on Twitter know that the chef for the Golden State Warriors makes "some bomb waffles" and that the former Davidson star almost left his basketball shoes in his hotel room in Phoenix.

"Rookie move," Curry tweeted last month.

Yes, it's true.

Stephen Curry has moved on to the NBA after propelling Davidson into the national spotlight with his sensational run in the NCAA Tournament in 2008, and after leading the Wildcats to three regular season and two Southern Conference tournament titles.

He will be missed by ticket managers throughout the league -- Curry boosted attendance by huge margins wherever he played -- and by SoCon officials, who tried to cash in on his senior season by moving the league tournament to Charlotte.

Alas, Curry spoiled that plan when he opted for the NBA after Davidson lost in the semifinals of the SoCon Tournament to College of Charleston, and then to Saint Mary's in the second round of the NIT.

Curry's departure finds several SoCon teams with the experience and talent to capitalize, while Davidson will be determined to show it can win even without its superstar.

"Our league is going to be tough, and we're hoping it will be more balanced," said College of Charleston coach Bobby Cremins, whose team lost to Chattanooga in last year's SoCon Tournament title game on the Mocs' home floor. "(The league) finally caught Davidson last year. It was a one-team league my first two years here. Davidson, they dominated.

Citadel coach Ed Conroy, who led the Bulldogs to their first 20-win season and postseason bid last year, said it might have been that way even if Curry had returned.

"I just think there are a lot of improved teams in the league, a lot of quality coaches and teams," he said. "It's going to be an exciting race, and I think SoCon basketball is as good as it's ever been."

Cremins' Cougars are the odds-on favorite to claim the first post-Curry title, returning preseason player of the year Andrew Goudelock and all- SoCon teammate Tony White Jr. in the backcourt.

The loss of defensive stopper Antwaine Wiggins to a preseason knee injury hurts, and junior forward Jeremy Simmons must step up in the frontcourt to replace Jermaine Johnson and Dustin Scott.

Despite its 20 wins last year and the return of all-SoCon guard Cameron Wells and the addition of 7-foot center Joe Wolfinger, The Citadel is picked to finish fourth in the SoCon South Division, showing just how tough the division is.

Wofford returns all five starters from a team that went 12-8 in the league a year ago, and Davidson will be as rugged in the frontcourt as ever, even without Curry.

In the North Division, Chattanooga lost all five starters from its NCAA Tournament team, leaving Western Carolina as the most experienced team in that division and the favorite to win it.

Two rookie coaches join the league this year, with former Davidson assistant Matt Matheny taking over at Elon and ex-Georgia Tech aide Charlton Young coaching at his alma mater, Georgia Southern.

Appalachian State coach Buzz Peterson also is back, though he's hardly a rookie. Peterson returns to Boone for his second stint with the Mountaineers, after leading App State to three regular season SoCon titles from 1996-2000.

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