SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Appalachian State’s women’s basketball team was picked to win the Southern Conference regular season championship by the league’s media.

The Mountaineers, who have won the previous two regular season titles, finished with 12 first-place votes and 226 points. Appalachian State finished 27-7 last season, but lost to Samford in the SoCon Tournament finals.

The Mountaineers rebounded to beat UNC-Wilmington and North Carolina State in the Women’s NIT before falling to Virginia.

Davidson was picked to finish second. The Wildcats grabbed eight first-place votes and finished with 216 points. Chattanooga picked up the other two first-place votes and finished third in the poll with 210 points.

Samford was fourth, followed by Elon, Furman, Western Carolina, College of Charleston, Georgia Southern, Wofford and UNC Greensboro.

 

COACHES POLL

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Davidson edged Appalachian State for the top spot in the coaches preseason poll.

The Wildcats grabbed five first-place votes and finished with 94 points. Appalachian State was second with four votes and 91 points.

Chattanooga, which got two votes, was third with 86 points. Samford was fourth followed by Elon and Furman, who tied for fifth.

Rounding out the poll are Western Carolina at seventh, followed by Wofford, Georgia Southern, College of Charleston and UNC Greensboro.

The coaches also placed Appalachian State forwards Anna Freeman, Courtney Freeman and Maryah Sydnor on their preseason all-conference team. Anna Freeman averaged 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.0 assists per game in 2011-12.

Davidson’s Sophia Aleksandravicius was named the preseason conference player of the year.

 

Southern Conference coaches women’s poll

Team   points

1. Davidson     (5)                   94

2. Appalachian State (4)         91

3. Chattanooga            (2)       86

4. Samford                              72

T-5. Elon                                 61

T-5. Furman                            61

7. Western Carolina                43

8. Wofford                               33

9. Georgia Southern                26

10. College of Charleston        21

11. UNC Greensboro               17

 

Southern Conference media women’s poll.

1. Appalachian State (12)       226

2. Davidson (8)                       216

3. Chattanooga (2)                  210

4. Samford                              178

5. Elon                                    146

6. Furman                               128

7. Western Carolina                108

8. College of Charleston          78

9. Georgia Southern                 62

10. Wofford                              58

11. UNC Greensboro               42

 

Preseason all-confernece

Player  School

Anna Freeman                         Appalachian State

Courtney Freeman                   Appalachian State

Maryah Sydnor                        Appalachian State

Sophia Aleksandravicius         Davidson

Laura Murray                           Davidson

Kelsey Evans                           Elon

Ali Ford                                   Elon

Brittany Hodges                      Furman

Kayla Christopher                   Chattanooga

Taylor Hall                              Chattanooga

Preseason Player of the Year

Sophia Aleksandravicius         Davidson