Senior guard Laura Murray is fifth all-time in points with 1,263
Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Murray Named Preseason All-SoCon, Wildcats Picked Third
10/23/2013 1:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Senior shooting guard Laura Murray was named to the All-Southern Conference women's basketball preseason team for the third straight year, while Davidson was picked to finish third in both the coaches and media polls, as announced today by the league office.
Earlier this month, Murray was named to the College Sports Madness preseason All-SoCon First Team and to the fourth team as part of the All-Mid Major Teams.
Chattanooga, which won the regular season and tournament title a year ago, was picked to finish first in both preseason SoCon polls.
Davidson received 120 points in the media poll and 77 in the coaches, trailing just Chattanooga and Samford, which was picked second with 131 points and a first place vote in the media poll, and 77 points in the coaches with a first place vote.
Murray and the Wildcats are coming off a 22-13 campaign in 2012-13 that saw them win the program's first postseason game with a first round victory at Old Dominion in the Women's National Invitational Tournament. Davidson finished second in the league standings with a 16-4 record and reached the SoCon Tournament Final for the second time in program history.
A native of Harrisburg, Pa., Murray ranked second last year on the team in scoring at 12.6 points and hit a team-best 52 shots from downtown. She reached the 1,000-point mark last year, and currently is sixth all-time with 1,263 and fourth in three-pointers with 160.
Murray is a two-time All-SoCon pick by the coaches, and was named to the first team by the media in 2011-12. Twice she has been named to the SoCon All-Tournament First Team. The shooting guard was named the league's freshman of the year in 2010-11, becoming the second Wildcat to garner the honor.
Davidson returns eight letterwinners, including starters Murray and Dakota Dukes, who was named to the All-SoCon Freshman Team last year.
The Wildcats will be without two-time SoCon Player and Defender of the Year Sophia Aleksandravicius, who was one of five seniors to graduate last year. A three-time All-SoCon First Team pick, Aleksandravicius set seven school records, including points (1,878), rebounds (1,143) and blocks (339), while also setting six new single-season records during her senior year.
Davidson will play an exhibition game at home vs. Johnson C. Smith, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m., before beginning the 2013-14 regular season campaign on the road at Clemson Friday, Nov. 8. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
2013-14 SoCon Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll
2013-14 SoCon Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Maryah Sydnor, Appalachian State
Laura Murray, Davidson
Kelsey Harris, Elon
Brittany Hodges, Furman
MiMi Dubose, Georgia Southern
Lucy Mason, UNCG
Shelby Campbell, Samford
Taylor Reece, Samford
Ashlen Dewart, Chattanooga
Taylor Hall, Chattanooga
SoCon Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Ashlen Dewart, Chattanooga
2013-14 SoCon Women's Basketball Media Preseason Poll
Earlier this month, Murray was named to the College Sports Madness preseason All-SoCon First Team and to the fourth team as part of the All-Mid Major Teams.
Chattanooga, which won the regular season and tournament title a year ago, was picked to finish first in both preseason SoCon polls.
Davidson received 120 points in the media poll and 77 in the coaches, trailing just Chattanooga and Samford, which was picked second with 131 points and a first place vote in the media poll, and 77 points in the coaches with a first place vote.
Murray and the Wildcats are coming off a 22-13 campaign in 2012-13 that saw them win the program's first postseason game with a first round victory at Old Dominion in the Women's National Invitational Tournament. Davidson finished second in the league standings with a 16-4 record and reached the SoCon Tournament Final for the second time in program history.
A native of Harrisburg, Pa., Murray ranked second last year on the team in scoring at 12.6 points and hit a team-best 52 shots from downtown. She reached the 1,000-point mark last year, and currently is sixth all-time with 1,263 and fourth in three-pointers with 160.
Murray is a two-time All-SoCon pick by the coaches, and was named to the first team by the media in 2011-12. Twice she has been named to the SoCon All-Tournament First Team. The shooting guard was named the league's freshman of the year in 2010-11, becoming the second Wildcat to garner the honor.
Davidson returns eight letterwinners, including starters Murray and Dakota Dukes, who was named to the All-SoCon Freshman Team last year.
The Wildcats will be without two-time SoCon Player and Defender of the Year Sophia Aleksandravicius, who was one of five seniors to graduate last year. A three-time All-SoCon First Team pick, Aleksandravicius set seven school records, including points (1,878), rebounds (1,143) and blocks (339), while also setting six new single-season records during her senior year.
Davidson will play an exhibition game at home vs. Johnson C. Smith, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m., before beginning the 2013-14 regular season campaign on the road at Clemson Friday, Nov. 8. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
2013-14 SoCon Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll
| Team (1st Place Votes) | Total Points |
| 1. Chattanooga (9) | 90 |
| 2. Samford (1) | 77 |
| 3. Davidson | 70 |
| 4. Appalachian State | 60 |
| 5. Elon | 59 |
| 6. Furman | 50 |
| 7. UNCG | 42 |
| 8. Georgia Southern | 40 |
| 9. Western Carolina | 33 |
| 10. Wofford | 19 |
2013-14 SoCon Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Maryah Sydnor, Appalachian State
Laura Murray, Davidson
Kelsey Harris, Elon
Brittany Hodges, Furman
MiMi Dubose, Georgia Southern
Lucy Mason, UNCG
Shelby Campbell, Samford
Taylor Reece, Samford
Ashlen Dewart, Chattanooga
Taylor Hall, Chattanooga
SoCon Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year
Ashlen Dewart, Chattanooga
2013-14 SoCon Women's Basketball Media Preseason Poll
| Team (1st Place Votes) | Total Points |
| 1.Chattanooga (15) | 159 |
| 2.Samford (1) | 131 |
| 3. Davidson | 120 |
| 4. Appalachian State | 116 |
| 5. Elon | 94 |
| 6. Furman | 76 |
| 7. Georgia Southern | 63 |
| 8. Western Carolina | 52 |
| 9. UNCG | 48 |
| 10. Wofford | 20 |
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