Belmont Abbey Edges Barton in Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Conference Carolinas released the 2021-22 Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll on Friday and Belmont Abbey was picked to win a third consecutive conference title.
Last season, the Crusaders, who received 8-of-13 first-place votes and 138 points, defeated Barton in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Final to advance to the Elite Eight. It’s not surprising that the Bulldogs, led by two-time conference Player of the Year and four-time Defensive Player of the Year Shanika Peterkin, were a close second with 136 points and the five remaining first-place tallies. Emmanuel garnered 107 points for third and King followed with 102. Mount Olive rounds out the top five with 95 points.
Francis Marion holds the sixth spot with 89 points and were followed by Chowan (75), North Greenville (72), UNC Pembroke (70), Lees-McRae (55), Converse (40), Southern Wesleyan (18) and Erskine (17).
The 2022 Conference Carolinas Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be a little different than in the past in that six teams in men’s and women’s basketball will advance to Spartanburg.
The Championships will get underway on Sunday, Feb. 27 and Monday, Feb. 28. The fifth and sixth seeds in men’s and women’s basketball will play host to two games over the two days. The 10th-seeded team will battle the seventh-seeded team on Feb. 27 at the home of the sixth seed for the right to face the sixth seed on Feb. 28, while the ninth-seeded team will take on the eighth-seeded team at the home of the fifth seed on Feb. 27 for the chance to take on the fifth seed on Feb. 28.
The 2022 Conference Carolinas Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships quarterfinals are set for Friday, March 4 at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. The semifinals will be contested on Saturday, March 5, while the men’s and women’s basketball finals are scheduled for Sunday, March 6.
The poll was voted on by the conference head coaches.
2021-22 Conference Carolinas
Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
| School |
Total (First Place) |
| Belmont Abbey |
138 (8) |
| Barton |
136 (5) |
| Emmanuel |
107 |
| King |
102 |
| Mount Olive |
95 |
| Francis Marion |
89 |
| Chowan |
75 |
| North Greenville |
72 |
| UNC Pembroke |
70 |
| Lees-McRae |
55 |
| Converse |
40 |
| Southern Wesleyan |
18 |
| Erskine |
17 |
2021-22 Conference Carolinas Women's Basketball
Players to Watch
Barton
- Shanika Peterkin, Sr., Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia (Two-time Conference Carolinas Player, Four-time Defensive Player of the Year, NCAA Division II All-American)
- Jami Tham, Sr., Center, Arlington, Virginia (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas First Team)
- Akira Wiggins, Sr., Guard, Knightdale, North Carolina
Belmont Abbey
- Brittany Autry, Sr., Center, Mineral Springs, North Carolina (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas First Team)
- Alexis Schulz, Sr., Guard, Fernandina Beach, Florida
- Kelli Thomas, Sr., Center, Ocoee, Florida
Chowan
- Destiny Robinson, Sr., Forward, Hampton, Virginia
- Monique Jones, Gr., Guard/Forward, Chester, Virginia (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas Third Team)
Converse
- Sydney Williams, Jr., Center, Henderson, Tennessee
Emmanuel
- Jazmin Allen, Jr., Forward, Jefferson, Georgia (All-Conference Carolinas Second Team)
- Jeanetta Elder, Jr., Power Forward, Athens, Georgia
- Allison Smith, Sr., Wing, Banks County, Georgia
Erskine
- Megan Jones, Sr., Guard, Greer, South Carolina
- Anzya Cook, So., Guard, Simpsonville, South Carolina
- Shanece Mitchell, So., Guard, Charleston, South Carolina
Francis Marion
- Zaria Woods, Jr., Forward/Center, Lancaster, South Carolina (2019-20 All-Peach Belt Conference Second Team)
- Lauryn Taylor, So., Center, Blythewood, South Carolina
- Scarlett Gilmore, Jr., Guard, Rock Hill, South Carolina
King
- Trinity Lee, Sr., Guard, Knoxville, Tennessee (Two-time All-Conference Carolinas Second Team, 2018-19 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
- Kiki Samsel, Sr. Guard, Louisville, Kentucky (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas Third Team)
- Ryleigh Fritz, Sr., Guard, White Pine, Tennessee
Lees-McRae
- Destiny Johnson, Sr., Guard, Iron Station, North Carolina (2020-21 All-Conference Carolinas Second Team, 2019-20 All-Conference Carolinas Third Team)
- Malikah Meyers, Sr., Forward, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Jessica Henderson, Jr., Guard, Chester, Virginia
North Greenville
- Haylee Luttrell, Sr., Guard, Deerlodge, Tennessee
Southern Wesleyan
- Brittany Mack, So., Point Guard, Spartanburg, South Carolina
- Nakia Hooks, So., Power Forward, Auburn, Georgia
- Shelby Glance, So., Guard/Forward, Clyde, North Carolina
UNC Pembroke
- Gabby Smith, So., Forward, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Alcenia Purnell, So., Guard, Wake Forest, North Carolina
- Tiara Williams, Sr., Guard, Deep Creek, Virginia