ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Basketball Team has been chosen to finish 13th in the South Atlantic Conference this year by the league's head coaches. The poll was released by the SAC office on Thursday. Additionally, the league has announced its Preseason All-Conference Teams.
RELATED - SAC Preseason Poll & Preseason All-Conference Teams
E&H posted an 8-18 record with a 5-13 mark in the SAC during their first season in the league last year. The Wasps finished in 11th place, earning a pair of conference wins over Mars Hill University while also defeating Limestone University, Lincoln Memorial University and Newberry College.
Catawba College, the 2022-23 SAC Regular Season Champion and NCAA Division II National Semifinalist, is picked to win the league earning 10 of 13 first-place votes. The Lady Catawba Indians are ranked No. 4 in the WBCA Division II Preseason Top 25.
Carson-Newman University earned two of the final three top nods and is second in the poll while Wingate University is third. Anderson University comes in at number four while Lenoir-Rhyne University and Lincoln Memorial University take fifth and sixth, respectively. LMU came away with the final first-place pick.
Additionally, the league has announced its preseason all-conference teams. Sophomore forward Breanna Yarber (Meadowview, Va.) was picked to the All-SAC Preseason Third Team on the heels of being named to the SAC All-Freshman team a year ago. Yarber started all 26 games for E&H, averaging 13.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. She led the squad with 40 blocks, adding 31 steals and 32 assists. Yarber also paced the Wasps with at an even 50.0 percent from the field and topped the squad as she went 78.8 percent from the free throw line.
Emory & Henry gets the 2023-24 season started on Friday, November 10 at 7 p.m. when it takes on Southern Wesleyan University in a SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge hosted by Belmont Abbey College. The Wasps will take on the Belmont Abbey Crusaders on Saturday, November 11 to complete their opening weekend.
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2023-24 SAC Women's Basketball
Preseason Poll
| Rank | School (FPV) | Points | ||
| 1. | Catawba (10) | 141 | ||
| 2. | Carson-Newman (2) | 124 | ||
| 3. | Wingate | 122 | ||
| 4. | Anderson | 106 | ||
| 5. | Lenoir-Rhyne | 105 | ||
| 6. | Lincoln Memorial (1) | 92 | ||
| 7. | Limestone | 71 | ||
| 8. | Tusculum | 63 | ||
| 9. | UVA Wise | 57 | ||
| 10. | Coker | 44 | ||
| 11. | Newberry | 37 | ||
| 12. | Mars Hill | 29 | ||
| 13. | Emory & Henry | 23 |
2023-24 SAC Women's Basketball
Preseason All-Conference
First Team
Janiya Downs, Catawba
Blaikley Crooks, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emily Harman, Lenoir-Rhyne
Lindsey Taylor, Carson-Newman
Lyrik Thorne, Catawba
Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman
Second Team
Hannah Clark, Wingate
Emily Hege, Wingate
Diamond McDowell, Anderson
Sara McIntosh, Catawba
Alexa Smiddy, Lincoln Memorial
Caitlyn Ross, Virginia-Wise
Third Team
Lauren Flowers, Lincoln Memorial
Kalisha Hill, Limestone
Kristynn Knight, Coker
Campbell Penland, Carson-Newman
Brittney Stafford, Anderson
Breanna Yarber, Emory & Henry