SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Davidson has been selected by the women’s basketball coaches to win the Southern Conference regular-season title in 2012-13. The SoCon regular season co-champion Wildcats return the reigning SoCon Player of the Year Sophia Aleksandravicius, this year’s Preseason Player of the Year. Davidson received five of 11 first-place votes and 94 points, just three points ahead of second-place Appalachian State.

The Mountaineers received four first-place votes and 91 points overall and were picked second for the third consecutive year. Appalachian State, who shared the regular-season title with Davidson, returns four starters, including Anna Freeman, who averaged 15.4 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game, 3.6 steals per game and 3.0 assists per game in 2011-12. The Mountaineers also made the longest postseason run of any SoCon team last season as they competed in the Women’s NIT. Appalachian State defeated UNCW and NC State before falling to Virginia, 74-58, in the Round of Sixteen.

Chattanooga received two first-place votes (86 total points) and was picked to finish third. The Lady Mocs finished 22-10 in 2011 and fell to Memphis in the first round of the Women’s NIT.

The 2012 Southern Conference tournament champion, Samford, was picked to finish fourth in the league. The Bulldogs return two starters in Hannah Dawson and Taylor Reece, and represented the SoCon in the 2012 NCAA Championship, falling to Duke in the first round.

Elon and Furman each tallied 61 points to tie for fifth. The Phoenix return four starters, including 2012 preseason all-conference players Ali Ford and Kelsey Evans, while the Paladins look to improve on their 15-16 record from 2011.

Western Carolina (43) was selected to finish seventh, while Wofford (33) was picked eighth.

Georgia Southern (26), one of two teams with a new coach this season, was picked to finish ninth, ahead of College of Charleston (21), and UNCG (17).

The coaches also selected the preseason all-conference team. Aleksandravicius was selected Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Aleksandravicius was also the 2012 SoCon Player of the Year and is joined on the preseason all-conference team by her teammate Laura Murray. 

Appalachian State leads all schools with three preseason all-conference selections: Anna Freeman, Courtney Freeman, and Maryah Sydnor. Elon and Chattanooga each have two players on the team. Representing the Phoenix are seniors Evans and Ford, while senior Kayla Christopher and junior Taylor Hall are the two Lady Mocs on the all-conference team.

Also named to the team was Furman’s Brittany Hodges.

The Southern Conference women’s basketball season begins Friday, Nov. 9, and the  2013 Southern Conference Tournament will be held March 8-11 in Asheville, N.C.

2012-13 SoCon Women’s Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll

2012-13 SoCon Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team

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

SoCon Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year

Sophia Aleksandravicius, Davidson