BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Tennessee women’s basketball team has been picked to finish third in the Southeastern Conference this year, and sophomore Rennia Davis has been chosen to the seven-member Preseason All-SEC Team, in voting by a select panel of SEC and national media members.
Mississippi State, the reigning SEC regular-season champion and national runner-up, was projected to finish first. Defending SEC Tournament champion South Carolina was picked to finish second, followed by UT, Georgia and Missouri to round out the top five.
The Lady Vols finished 25-8 overall and tied for fourth in the SEC a year ago with an 11-5 mark. They return a pair of SEC All-Freshman Team members (Davis and classmate Evina Westbrook) as well as senior wing Meme Jackson who started every game of the 2017-18 campaign. Seventh-year head coach Holly Warlick also welcomes her second straight top-5 recruiting class as well as graduate transfer Lou Brown who started 23 games and led Washington State University in rebounding last season.
Davis, a 6-foot-2 guard/forward from Jacksonville, Fla., was one of seven players named to the Preseason All-SEC squad. Other members include Caliya Robinson (Georgia), Anriel Howard (Mississippi State), Teaira McCowan (Mississippi State), Sophie Cunningham (Missouri), Alexis Jennings (South Carolina), and Chennedy Carter (Texas A&M). Mississippi State’s Teaira McCowan was tabbed for SEC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year.
As a freshman Davis averaged 12.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, starting in 32 of 33 contests and tallying nine double-doubles. Twice named SEC Freshman of the week, she finished the season ranked No. 11 in rebounding in the SEC.
The Lady Vols play their lone exhibition game on Nov. 5 vs. Carson-Newman (7 p.m. ET) and open the 2018-19 regular season vs. Presbyterian at 2 p.m. on Nov. 11. Both games will be played at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Order of Finish
1. Mississippi State
2. South Carolina
3. Tennessee
4. Georgia
5. Missouri
6. Texas A&M
7. Kentucky
8. Auburn
9. LSU
10. Alabama
11. Arkansas
12. Florida
13. Vanderbilt
14. Ole Miss
Player of the Year
Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State
Preseason All-SEC
Caliya Robinson, Georgia
Anriel Howard, Mississippi State
Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State
Sophie Cunningham, Missouri
Alexis Jennings, South Carolina
Rennia Davis, Tennessee
Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M
UT Athletics
