University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball team made waves last season with a pair of wins over Top 10 foes resulting in
an historic ranking in the polls. The Mocs also ran the table in the Southern Conference for the second straight year and claimed its 19th SoCon tournament crown.
As a result, Chattanooga earned its highest national ranking in school history at No.
17 in the AP Top 25, No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 2 in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25. Head coach Jim Foster and four of his players were honored by the league coaches and media in the postseason polls.
On Tuesday, College Sports Madness released its SoCon Preseason All-Conference and All-Mid Major Teams.
Foster was selected the preseason Coach of the Year and junior Jasmine Joyner (Southaven, Miss.) was picked as the favorite for Player of the Year in the league. She was joined on the first team by classmate Chelsey Shumpert (Paducah, Ky.) and sophomore Keiana Gilbert (Pulaski, Tenn.).
Joyner also earned a spot on the All-Mid Major First Team. Furman’s Whitney Bunn was selected to the Third Team.
The Mocs were picked 22nd in the Athlon Sports 2015-16 Preseason Top 25 earlier this year.
Chattanooga opened practice for the 2015-16 season on October 4. Today the team held its first practice in the McKenzie Arena with the newly designed court arriving just in time.
The season opens Friday, November 13 against McNeese State at the Roundhouse in the preseason WNIT. Tickets are on sale at the McKenzie Arena box office or online at GoMocs.com.
College Sports Madness SoCon Preseason All-Conference Teams
Coach of the Year – Jim Foster, Chattanooga
Player of the Year – Jasmine Joyner, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year – Angel Allen, Western Carolina
First Team
Guard – Whitney Bunn, Furman
Guard – Chesley Shumpert, Chattanooga
Guard/Forward – Hannah Nichols, Samford
Forward – Keiana Gilbert, Chattanooga
Forward/Center – Jasmine Joyner, Chattanooga
Second Team
Guard – Kahlia Lawrence, Mercer
Guard – Lucy Mason, UNCG
Guard/Forward – Tianna Turner, ETSU
Forward – Holli Wilkins, Furman
Forward/Center – Taylor Reece, Samford
College Sports Madness All-Mid Major Teams
Coach of the Year – Courtney Banghart, Princeton
Player of the Year – Aundrea Gamble, Arkansas State
Freshman of the Year – Madison Guebert, South Dakota State
First Team
Guard - Aundrea Gamble, Arkansas State
Guard – Whitney Knight, Florida Gulf Coast
Guard/
Forwad – Jasmine Joyner, Chattanooga
Forward – Brianna Freeman, New Mexico State
Forward/Center – Sydney Stipanovich, Pennsylvania
Second Team
Guard – Malia Tate-DeFreitas, Hampton
Guard – Ashley
Beverly Kelley, Troy
Guard/
Forwad – Brittany Crain, UC Riverside
Forward – Shereesha Richards, Albany
Forward/Center – Joy Adams, Iona
Third Team
Guard – Whitney Bunn, Furman
Guard – Nicole Seekamp, South Dakota
Guard/
Forwad – Annie Tarakchian, Princeton
Forward – Mia Loyd, North Dakota
Forward/Center – Ashley Rininger, Liberty
Fourth Team
Guard – Tiasha Gray, Austin Peay
Guard – Allison Baggett, McNeese State
Guard/
Forwad – Macy Miller, South Dakota State
Forward – Breanna Rucker, Bryant
Forward/Center – Raquel Scott, Holy Cross