Elon Women’s Basketball Releases 2012-13 Schedule

ELON, N.C. – Elon head women’s basketball coach Charlotte Smith announced the team’s schedule for the upcoming 2012-13 season today, Sept. 10. The season begins on the road at South Carolina on Friday, Nov. 9, before the Phoenix faces Virginia Commonwealth in its home opener on Monday, Nov. 12.

“We are excited about our second season here at Elon,” said Smith. “We have put together a challenging non-conference schedule that will expose our players to two great conferences in the SEC versus South Carolina and the ACC versus North Carolina State. We will face other quality opponents outside the always competitive Southern Conference in the likes of VCU, UNC Wilmington and American, which should all prove to be very exciting games in Alumni Gym!”

An exhibition against Belmont Abbey in Alumni Gym on Sunday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m., will be fans’ first glimpse of this year’s team before the season-opener at South Carolina. The match up will mark the first time the Phoenix and Gamecocks have met on the court since 1975.

The game against VCU begins a home stretch of four games for the maroon and gold. Elon faces UNC Wilmington on Nov. 18 and American on Nov. 24 before ending the home stand with its first SoCon game of the season against College of Charleston on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m.

The Phoenix will travel to Cullowhee, N.C., for the first conference road game of the season at Western Carolina on Dec. 3 before facing NC State for the first time in four years on Dec. 9. After a home game against Morgan State, Elon goes on the road for three straight with games at Campbell, East Carolina and then closes out the 2012 calendar year at North Carolina A&T on Dec. 31. Last year, the Phoenix defeated the Fighting Camels of Campbell in a thrilling 89-88 game in Alumni Gym.

Elon plays its first game of 2013 on Saturday, Jan. 5, against Samford and faces Chattanooga two days later in Alumni Gym. The Phoenix will look to defeat the back-to-back defending SoCon Champion Bulldogs again after winning the match up 69-44 on Robertson Court last season.

After a trip to Spartanburg, S.C., to play Wofford, the maroon and gold hosts rival UNCG on Jan. 14 and Furman on Jan. 18. Elon won both meetings against the Spartans last season, including a 14-point victory at home. The Phoenix will play at CofC and Davidson before taking on Georgia Southern on Monday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. in the friendly confines of Alumni Gym.

Elon heads back to the mountains on Feb. 2 to face in-state foe Appalachian State before playing Western Carolina on Monday, Feb. 4, on Robertson Court.

The Phoenix hits the road for three straight away games at Chattanooga, Samford and UNCG, before returning home for a mid-week match up on Feb. 20 against the Terriers from Wofford.

After hosting Appalachian State on Feb. 25, Elon will honor its five seniors prior to its Senior Day game against Davidson on March 2. This year’s seniors include Arayael Brandner , Kelsey Evans, Ali Ford, Lei Lei Hairston and Shon Redmond.

The team will close out the regular season in Statesboro, Ga., at Georgia Southern on March 4. The Phoenix picked up a 30-point win last year in Hanner Fieldhouse over the Lady Eagles.

The Southern Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament returns to Asheville, N.C., for 2013 and will take place on March 3 – 8.