WBCA tabs Lady Eagles No. 14 in preseason poll
For the third time in the past four years, Carson-Newman has been ranked in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association preseason poll coming in at No.14 in the poll that was released earlier today.
LILBURN, Ga. – For the third time in the past four years, Carson-Newman has been ranked in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association preseason poll coming in at No. 14 in the poll that was released earlier today.
The Lady Eagles are the highest ranked team in the Southeast Region, with the Peach Belt's Georgia Southwestern, the reigning region champs, at No. 17 and Columbus State checking in at No. 24. Catawba and Lenoir-Rhyne also represented the region and the South Atlantic Conference receiving 26 and 9 votes respectively.
This past preseason was the only time in the past four seasons that Carson-Newman has not been ranked in the WBCA's initial poll.
The No. 14 ranking comes after the Lady Eagles made the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history and the sixth time in the past seven seasons, earning a number two seed in the Southeast region, their highest ranking since being the top seed in 2018. C-N had success in the postseason, winning its first two NCAA Tournament games to earn their third trip to the Sweet 16 and regional title game.
A pair of 1,000-point scorers headline Carson-Newman's key returners in Campbell Penland (Sevierville, Tenn.) and Lindsey Taylor (Maryville, Tenn.).
Penland has averaged 10.7 points per game during her three seasons at Mossy Creek and is coming off a season where she served as C-N's third leading scorer. Penland was terrific down the stretch of the season, scoring double digits in 12 of the final 16 games.
Taylor was the fifth-most efficient scorer in 2023-24, making 60% of her shots while averaging 14.7 points per game. She led a rebounding attack that grabbed the ninth most rebounds per game in Division II. Taylor enters her final season 13th on C-N's all-time scoring list with 1,276 points, just nine away from passing Coreen Wells for 12th.
The Lady Eagles hit the floor for the first time in 2024-25 when they head to Thompson Boling Arena at Food City Center for a Halloween exhibition contest with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 6:15 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on MIX 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
