HPU Women’s Basketball Picked Second in Big South Preseason Poll, Place Two On All-Conference Team

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Senior guard Erin Reynolds and junior forward Cheyenne Parker were named Preseason All-Big South and the High Point University women’s basketball team was picked to finish six in the Big South Preseason Poll, it was announced at the league’s media day on Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C.

Defending Big South Tournament champion Liberty was picked to win the league and returned Preseason All-Big South guard Devon Brown. Winthrop was picked third and the Eagles’ junior guard Dequesha McClanahan was named the Big South Preseason Player of the Year. Radford guard Da’Naria Erwin-Spencer was also picked for the preseason team.

High Point University returns three starters from last year’s team in Reynolds, Parker and junior guard Tayler Tremblay. HPU head coach DeUnna Hendrix added four newcomers to the roster and redshirt-sophomore Stacia Robertson is able to play after she transferred from South Dakota and was forced to sit out last season.

Reynolds averaged 15.9 points and 4.3 assists per games last season as the team’s primary point guard. She was named to the Big South All-Conference second team and the Big South All-Tournament team. She set the HPU single-season record for steal with 88 last year. Reynolds needs just seven points to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career.

Parker was the Big South Defensive Player of the Year in 2011-12. She set the Big South single-season record for rebounds (403) and blocked shots (121). Parker averaged 13 points and 12.2 rebound per game last season. She needs 100 rebounds this season to break Shamia Brown‘s HPU Div. I career mark.

Tremblay averaged 7.8 points and 3.8 assists per game last year. She played in all 33 games, making 31 starts for the Panthers. Tremblay also had 40 steals and 129 rebounds.

Also among the Panthers’ eight returners is redshirt-sophomore guard Lindsay Puckett, who got stronger as the season went along last year. She averaged 5.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore guards Lexi Patterson and Ashante Richard saw limited time in their rookie seasons but benefited from a year of practice and are better acclimated to the college game.

The Panthers also return senior forwards Jazmin Cromartie and Kamille Lisonbee who add size, depth and experience to the High Point bench.

HPU has four newcomers on the roster. Graduate student Kendra Wallace joins HPU after three seasons at USC Upstate. Wallace and freshman Tori Cook will compete for time in the back court. Meanwhile, two freshman, Jatzmin Johnson and Tabitha Fudge will join High Point’s front court.

HPU went 20-13 last season with a 13-5 mark in Big South play. The Panthers finished second in the league and made it to the title game of the Big South Tournament before falling to Liberty. High Point played in the first round of the WNIT for the second time, losing at N.C. State.

Big South Preseason Poll
Rk.     Team (first)         Points
1.      Liberty (16)            233
2.      High Point (4)          215
3.      Winthrop (2)            199
4.      Campbell                159
5.      Radford                 157
6.      Charleston Southern     136
7.      Coastal Carolina         92
8.      Presbyterian College     91
9.      Gardner-Webb             62
10.     UNC Asheville            60
11.     Longwood                 51

Preseason All-Big South
Erin Reynolds, High Point
Cheyenne Parker, High Point
Dequesha McClanahan, Winthrop
Devon Brown, Liberty
Da’Naria Erwin-Spencer, Radford

Preseason Player of the Year
Dequesha McClanahan, Winthrop