All-SoCon women's basketball teams announced

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced the 2023-24 women's basketball postseason awards Tuesday. Selections include the coaches' all-conference teams and specialty awards in addition to the Southern Conference Sports Media Association all-conference teams and awards. 

Wofford’s Rachael Rose was tabbed player of the year by the coaches and the media. Samford’s Kennedy Langham was voted freshman of the year by the coaches, while Wofford’s Evangelia Paulk was named freshman of the year by the media. Chattanooga second-year head coach Shawn Poppie was voted coach of the year by both the coaches and the media.
 
UNCG guard Ayanna Khalfani was named defensive player of the year by the coaches and Furman’s Tate Walters was the winner of the Ann Lashley Inspiration Award.

The 2024 Ingles Southern Conference Women's Basketball Championship begins Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina. The championship game is scheduled for Sunday at noon ET and will be televised on ESPNU.
 
Coaches All-Southern Conference Women's Basketball Teams

Player of the Year
Rachael Rose, Jr, G, Wofford
 
Freshman of the Year
Kennedy Langham, G, Samford
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Ayanna Khalfani, Gr., G, UNCG
 
Coach of the Year
Shawn Poppie, Chattanooga
 
Ann Lashley Inspiration Award Winner
Tate Walters, R-Jr., G, Furman
 
First team
Nevaeh Brown, Jr., ETSU
Jada Guinn, Gr., Chattanooga
Raven Thompson, So., Chattanooga
Jayde Gamble, Jr., UNCG
Rachael Rose, Jr., Wofford

Second team
Jada Session, Jr., Furman
Summah Evans, Sr., Mercer
Stacie Jones, Sr., Mercer
Ayanna Khalfani, Gr., UNCG
Lonasia Brewer, Gr., Western Carolina

All-defensive team
Summah Evans, Sr., Mercer
Emily Bowman, So., C, Samford
Ayanna Khalfani, Gr., UNCG
Sigrun Olafsdottir, Jr., G, Chattanooga
Annabelle Schultz, Sr., G, WOF

All-freshman team
Kennedy Langham, Samford
Hannah Kohn, Chattanooga
Tyja Beans, Western Carolina
Evangelia Paulk, Wofford
Maddie Heiss, Wofford
 

SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA) All-Southern Conference Women's Basketball Teams

Player of the Year
Rachael Rose, Jr., G, Wofford
 
Freshman of the Year
Evangelia Paulk, F/G, Wofford
 
Coach of the Year
Shawn Poppie, Chattanooga
 
First team
Nevaeh Brown, Jr., ETSU
Jada Guinn, Gr., Chattanooga
Raven Thompson, So., Chattanooga
Jayde Gamble, Jr., UNCG
Rachael Rose, Jr., Wofford

Second team
Jada Session, Jr., Furman
Kate Johnson, So., Furman
Summah Evans, Sr., Mercer
Stacie Jones, Sr., Mercer
Ayanna Khalfani, Gr., UNCG

Third team
Niveya Henley, R-So., G, FUR
Emily Bowman, So., C, SAM
Carly Heidger, R-So., G, SAM
Lonasia Brewer, Gr., WCU
Annabelle Schultz, Sr., G, WOF

All-freshman team
Kennedy Langham, Samford
Hannah Kohn, Chattanooga
Tyja Beans, Western Carolina
Evangelia Paulk, Wofford
Maddie Heiss, Wofford



Notes

• Rachael Rose was voted Player of the Year by the coaches a season ago. She is the first player to win consecutive Player of the Year awards since Mercer’s Kahlia Lawrence (2015-18). Rose is one of two Terriers to win this award, the only to win it multiple times.
• Kennedy Langham is Samford’s third freshman of the year, the last one being Sussy Ngulefac in 2021-22.
• Evangelia Paulk the third freshman of the year winner for Wofford, the first since Lilly Hatton in 2019-20.
• Ayanna Khalfani is just the second Spartan to be named defensive player of the year, the first was Monique Floyd in 2008-09.
• Shawn Poppie is the eleventh coach of the Mocs to be named coach of the year and the first since 2014-15, when Jim Foster received the honor.
• The coaches and media had the same five players on their respective first teams. The groups had four players in common on the second teams, with the coaches choosing Western Carolina’s Lonasia Brewer and the media including Furman’s Kate Johnson