Sophia Aleksandravicius and Laura Murray
Women’s Basketball Picked First in Coaches Preseason Poll; Aleksandravicius Tabbed Player of the Year Again
10/25/2012 11:17:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID
2012-13 Quick Facts
2012-13 Schedule
2012-13 Roster
Find Your Favorite Wildcat Action Shot at DavidsonPhotos.com
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Coming off the program's first regular season league title, the Davidson women's basketball team was picked to repeat in 2012-13 as voted on by the Southern Conference coaches, while senior Sophia Aleksandravicius was selected as the league's preseason Player of the Year, as announced by the league today.
Co-regular season champs last year with Appalachian State, Davidson received five of 11 first-place votes and 94 points in the coaches poll, just three points ahead of second-place Appalachian State (91 points). The Wildcats, who finished 22-10 overall and 17-3 in SoCon play a year ago, were picked second in the media poll with the Mountaineers receiving 12 first place votes (226) to the 'Cats eight (216 points).
The coaches and media polls saw Chattanooga picked to finish third, while 2012 SoCon Tournament champion, Samford, was picked to finish fourth in the league. Elon and Furman tied for fifth in the coaches poll with 61 points each, and were picked fifth and sixth, respectively in the media poll.
Aleksandravicius, the reigning SoCon Player of the Year as voted on by the coaches last year, made it two years in a row being named the preseason player of the year. The 6-5 forward led the league in rebounding (8.9 rpg) and blocks (93), and poured in close to 14 points a game last year. She had 11 double-doubles to push her career total to 30.
Twice the forward was named SoCon Player of the Month and earned her second straight nod on the All-SoCon First Team. Aleksandravicius enters her final season looking to break the all-time scoring and rebounding records. She needs 210 points to pass Davidson Hall of Famer Jennifer O'Brien and just 83 rebounds to overtake Carolyn Kirsch, another Wildcat Hall of Famer. She already holds all the blocks records, and has a chance to also set the made free throws and field goals marks this year.
Joining Aleksandravicius on the coaches all-preseason team is former SoCon Freshman of the Year Laura Murray. The sharp-shooting guard, an all-league first-teamer last year, returns after leading the Wildcats in scoring at 14.5 points (second-best in the SoCon). Murray was also named to SoCon All-Tournament First Team after guiding Davidson to the semifinals. She ranked 19th in the country a year ago in three-point accuracy at 39.3 percent.
ASU put three players on the preseason team, while Chattanooga and Elon tied Davidson with two players each.
Aleksandravicius and Murray were also both named to the CollegeSportsMadness.com preseason All-SoCon First Team, while coach Savage was selected preseason Coach of the Year.
Reigning SoCon Coach of the Year Michele Savage takes her team to Chapel Hill, N.C., to tip the season off with a 5 p.m. game vs. North Carolina as part of the preseason Women's NIT, starting Nov. 9.
2012-13 SoCon Women's Basketball Media Preseason Poll
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
2012-13 Schedule
2012-13 Roster
Find Your Favorite Wildcat Action Shot at DavidsonPhotos.com
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Coming off the program's first regular season league title, the Davidson women's basketball team was picked to repeat in 2012-13 as voted on by the Southern Conference coaches, while senior Sophia Aleksandravicius was selected as the league's preseason Player of the Year, as announced by the league today.
Co-regular season champs last year with Appalachian State, Davidson received five of 11 first-place votes and 94 points in the coaches poll, just three points ahead of second-place Appalachian State (91 points). The Wildcats, who finished 22-10 overall and 17-3 in SoCon play a year ago, were picked second in the media poll with the Mountaineers receiving 12 first place votes (226) to the 'Cats eight (216 points).
The coaches and media polls saw Chattanooga picked to finish third, while 2012 SoCon Tournament champion, Samford, was picked to finish fourth in the league. Elon and Furman tied for fifth in the coaches poll with 61 points each, and were picked fifth and sixth, respectively in the media poll.
Aleksandravicius, the reigning SoCon Player of the Year as voted on by the coaches last year, made it two years in a row being named the preseason player of the year. The 6-5 forward led the league in rebounding (8.9 rpg) and blocks (93), and poured in close to 14 points a game last year. She had 11 double-doubles to push her career total to 30.
Twice the forward was named SoCon Player of the Month and earned her second straight nod on the All-SoCon First Team. Aleksandravicius enters her final season looking to break the all-time scoring and rebounding records. She needs 210 points to pass Davidson Hall of Famer Jennifer O'Brien and just 83 rebounds to overtake Carolyn Kirsch, another Wildcat Hall of Famer. She already holds all the blocks records, and has a chance to also set the made free throws and field goals marks this year.
Joining Aleksandravicius on the coaches all-preseason team is former SoCon Freshman of the Year Laura Murray. The sharp-shooting guard, an all-league first-teamer last year, returns after leading the Wildcats in scoring at 14.5 points (second-best in the SoCon). Murray was also named to SoCon All-Tournament First Team after guiding Davidson to the semifinals. She ranked 19th in the country a year ago in three-point accuracy at 39.3 percent.
ASU put three players on the preseason team, while Chattanooga and Elon tied Davidson with two players each.
Aleksandravicius and Murray were also both named to the CollegeSportsMadness.com preseason All-SoCon First Team, while coach Savage was selected preseason Coach of the Year.
Reigning SoCon Coach of the Year Michele Savage takes her team to Chapel Hill, N.C., to tip the season off with a 5 p.m. game vs. North Carolina as part of the preseason Women's NIT, starting Nov. 9.
2012-13 SoCon Women's Basketball Media Preseason Poll
| Team (1st Place Votes) | Total Points |
| 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. UNCG | 42 |
2012-13 SoCon Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll
| Team (1st Place Votes) | Total 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. UNCG | 17 |
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
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