Wildcats Picked Fourth in A-10 Preseason Poll
11/9/2020 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Deegan, Turner and Donovan Earn All-Conference Nods
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In preparation for the 2020-21 women's basketball season, the Davidson Wildcats have been picked fourth in the Atlantic 10 Conference's preseason poll, the league office announced Monday morning.
As voted on by the conference's head coaches, the Wildcats moved up one spot from a season ago, after being predicted to finish fifth in the 2019-20 preseason standings.
VCU finished first in the poll, receiving 185 points and 10 first-place votes. Dayton followed with 176 points and two first place votes, while Saint Louis finished third with 171 points and one first-place vote. Collecting 140 points, Davidson was tied for fourth place with Duquesne and Fordham.
"We are returning an experienced and hungry group that has very high expectations," said head coach Gayle Fulks. "They have embraced that we are no longer an underdog in our competitive A-10 league. Every game is always a battle and this group is up to the challenge of pursuing a championship."
The 'Cats finished last season's campaign with a 16-15 overall record, and an 8-8 finish in conference play, boasting consecutive winning records for the first time since the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. Davidson also went 8-5 inside Belk Arena, marking its second-straight winning season at home. After opening conference play with five straight wins, the Wildcats set marks for their first undefeated start to conference play since 2014-15 and their longest win streak since 2012-13. Heading into the 2020-21 campaign, Davidson returns nearly 92 percent of its offense from a season ago.
In addition to the league rankings, the A-10 also released its Preseason All-Conference teams this morning, placing Suzi-Rose Deegan, Katie Turner and Sarah Donovan on its First, Second and Third Teams, respectively.
"Having three players selected to All-Conference teams in the preseason shows the tremendous respect opposing coaches have for them," Fulks added.
Deegan returns for her sophomore season, after a stellar freshman year, averaging 15.9 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. As a rookie, she earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors seven times throughout the season en route to becoming the conference's Rookie of the Year. Additionally, Deegan earned her name onto the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team and All-Conference First Team, becoming the first Wildcat to do so since joining the league in 2014-15.
Turner heads into her senior year as the Wildcats' floor general, averaging 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game a season ago. The Nevada native moved to third all-time in program history for career assists last season with 372 and is 97 passes away from taking over the second all-time slot. After becoming the 21st member of Davidson's 1,000-point club on Feb. 19, 2020, Turner ranked in the top-5 in the Atlantic 10 for made three-pointers (66) and total assists (127). She currently sits fourth all-time with 199 career three-pointers, and has been a two-time All-Conference Third Team member.
Donovan, despite missing 18 games last season due to injury, finds her name on the conference's Third Team after averaging 11.4 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game through 12 games in 2019-20. A consistent force throughout her career as a Wildcat, the senior has 735 career points and 531 rebounds to date, along with 15 double-double performances throughout her tenure.
For the Atlantic 10's complete release on its Preseason Poll and All-Conference Teams, visit atlantic10.com.
