In this week's episode of "Anything But Mid," we previewed women's basketball in the SoCon, Southland and Summit League is shaping up. In case you missed it, here's how things look:
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The SoCon is pretty wide open this year. This is a conference that was extremely competitive last season, as Wofford, ETSU and Chattanooga tied for the conference lead at 10-4.
Furman comes in at No. 1 in the preseason poll after going 9-5 in conference play and 18-13 overall. The Paladins have two big returners from last season's roster in Clare Coyle and Alyssa Ervin, who were both members of the All-Southern team while Coyle was named to the All-Southern Defensive Team.
Wofford ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll just two votes behind Furman. The Terriers have Preseason Player of the Year and reigning SoCon Freshman of the Year Gabby Mundy, who averaged 15 points and 3.6 assists in her rookie campaign. They also bring back Maddie Heiss, who averaged 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Samford comes in as the most interesting team, as the Bulldogs snuck away with a conference tournament championship after entering as the No. 6 seed and a 6-8 conference record. They have three of the best 3-point shooters in the country in Francie Morris (35.6%), Briana Rivera (36.4% on 8.3 attempts per game) and Kaylee Yarbrough (37.2%). They are entering the season wanting to back up their NCAA Tournament appearance in this competitive league.
ETSU head coach Brenda Mock Brown was the SoCon Coach of the Year, but the Bucs lost Defensive Player of the Year Meghan Downing. Chattanooga returns three starters in Ava Card, Izzy McPherson and Falon Bedke and seven players overall. However, the Mocs lost reigning SoCon Player of the Year Caia Elisaldez, who averaged 17 points and 5.1 assists. While both ETSU and Chattanooga lost major pieces of last year's roster, they will still compete in this ultra competitive conference, which will look eerily similar to last year's SoCon.
McNeese was one of the most dominant programs at the mid-major level last season. The Cowboys went 21-1 in Southland play en route to a WBIT appearance. However, they are now under first-year head coach Ashton Feldhaus and lost Dakota Howard and Jalencia Pierre. If the Cowboys are going to stay at the top of the standings, returners Avari Berry and Carley Hamilton and Presbyterian transfer Morgan Boyd are going to have to step up in Howard and Pierre's absence.
Stephen F. Austin won the Southland Tournament as the No. 3 seed after going 16-6 in conference play. Key players from last year's team in Key Roseby and Harmanie Dominguez are no longer with the program. The Lumberjacks maintained some important pieces in all-defensive team selection Aziyah Farrier, Avery VanSickle, Lydia Cajuste and Cha Gardner, so SFA will continue to be a premiere program in the Southland.
However, the potential No. 1 team this year can potentially be Lamar. The Cardinals were the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament after going 17-5 in Southland play. They have proven scorers in Kamryn Wilson, Jacei Denley and Shaila Forman along with solid pieces in Keyiona McDaniel, Jada Graves, Solenne Olenga and Brooklyn Alexander that should keep them in the hunt for the Southland crown.
UT Rio Grande Valley is another team coming off an impressive 16-6 conference play season, but it lost Charlotte O'Keefe who averaged a ridiculous 13.8 rebounds last season and Southland Newcomer of the Year Jalayah Ingram. The Vaqueros retained Erin Maguire and brought in good transfers in Janette Aarnio, Trinity Bane and Kamryn McLaurin, but replacing O'Keefe's scoring and rebounding will be tough.
One slight change to the Summit League is Denver leaving for the WCC, but this conference shapes up to be a two-dog race this season between South Dakota State and North Dakota State.
North Dakota State is coming off its best conference record in program history at 15-1. Avery Koenen is the reigning Player and Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 19.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. The Bison also retained preseason All-Summit selections Marisa Frost and Jocelyn Schiller along with Reigning Freshman and Sixth Woman of the Year Karrington Asp and sharpshooter Molly Lenz, who shot 41% from deep last season. They have their key pieces back and should stay atop the league.
South Dakota State is coming off a fourth straight tournament championship and a 14-2 conference record but lost Brooklyn Meyer and Madison Mathiowetz, who combined for 36.0 points and 11.6 rebounds. Emilee Fox is a returning veteran, who gave the team nearly nine points per game while leading the nation by shooting 49% from beyond the 3-point line. She was a preseason All-Summit League selection along with Katie Vasecka and Hadley Thul. While other programs in South Dakota and Oral Roberts will be competitive teams, South Dakota State and North Dakota State will battle for the "Dakota State Crown" atop the Summit.
Make sure to tune into "Anything But Mid" on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Podcasts and stay tuned for our final conference previews coming soon!
