College women’s basketball: Catawba 4th in SAC poll
Published 1:28 am Wednesday, November 2, 2022
- Three for Catawba's Janiya Downs.
SAC Sports Information
Rock Hill, S.C. —-The South Atlantic Conference announced the women’s basketball preseason coach’s poll and preseason all-conference teams Tuesday morning.
Wingate’s Bryanna Troutman (Salisbury) is a preseason first team All-SAC honoree. Troutman was named the SAC Player of the Year last season, while also earning first team All-SAC and All-Region honors. She picked up honorable mention All-American accolades from the WBCA. Troutman averaged 18.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, shooting 51 percent from the field and 74 percent at the free throw line. She ranked third in the SAC in scoring, fourth in field goal percentage and seventh in rebounding, while ranking second in field goals made and leading the league in free throws made. Troutman scored in double figures in 27 of 29 games, including each of her last 19 contests. She registered five double-doubles on the season, while scoring 20 points or more on 15 occasions. Troutman hit the 30-point mark three times in the 2021-22 season.
Catawba’s Lyrik Thorne made the first team. Catawba’s Janiya Downs (South Rowan) and Sara McIntosh made the third team.
Carson-Newman is the preseason favorite, earning seven of the 13 first-place votes. Wingate is second, with six first-place votes.
Anderson, Catawba, Limestone, LMU, Lenoir-Rhyne and Newberry round out the top eight. Tusculum and UVA Wise are tied for ninth, followed Coker, Mars Hill and Emory & Henry.
2022-23 SAC Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
| Rank | School (First-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. | Carson-Newman (7) | 139 |
| 2. | Wingate (6) | 136 |
| 3. | Anderson | 116 |
| 4. | Catawba | 113 |
| 5. | Limestone | 93 |
| 6. | Lincoln Memorial | 79 |
| 7. | Lenoir-Rhyne | 74 |
| 8. | Newberry | 71 |
| T-9. | Tusculum | 60 |
| T-9. | UVA Wise | 60 |
| 11. | Coker | 33 |
| 12. | Mars Hill | 27 |
| 13. | Emory & Henry | 13 |
2022-23 SAC Women’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference
First Team
Quin Byrd, Limestone
Emily Harman, Lenoir-Rhyne
Lyrik Thorne, Catawba
Lindsey Taylor, Carson-Newman
Bryanna Troutman, Wingate
Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman
Second Team
Brandi Hudson, Lenoir-Rhyne
Hannah Clark, Wingate
Nia Vanzant, UVA Wise
Caitlyn Ross, UVA Wise
Reagan McCray, Limestone
Mya Belton, Tusculum
Third Team
Diamond McDowell, Anderson
Sara McIntosh, Catawba
Brittney Stafford, Anderson
Maddie Gillie, Mars Hill
Jordan Maney, Lincoln Memorial
Janiya Downs, Catawba
