Towson, Kornegay-Lucas Headline CAA Women’s Basketball Preseason Honors

Towson, Kornegay-Lucas Headline CAA Women’s Basketball Preseason Honors

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Hunter Peters

RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 19, 2023) – Towson has been selected as the favorite to win the 2023-24 CAA Women’s Basketball title and the Tigers’ redshirt senior guard Kylie Kornegay-Lucas was named CAA Preseason Player of the Year as determined by a vote of the league’s 14 head coaches. 


 
Towson collected nine first-place votes and 163 points to sit atop the preseason predicted order of finish. Stony Brook and Northeastern followed, receiving two first-place votes apiece, with 139 and 138 points, respectively. Delaware was fourth, totaling 123 points, and Charleston rounded out the top five, earning the final first-place vote and 117 points. Monmouth (115 points), Drexel (104 points) and North Carolina A&T (103 points) were pegged sixth through eighth, with the three teams separated by just 12 points. William & Mary, Campbell, Elon, Hofstra, Hampton and UNCW followed to round out the 14-team poll. 
 
Kornegay-Lucas was accompanied on the Preseason All-CAA First Team by Northeastern senior guard Derin Erdogan, Charleston fifth-year guard Jada Logan, Stony Brook junior forward Sherese Pittman and Elon sophomore guard Raven Preston. 
 
In addition, the Preseason All-CAA Second Team consisted of Charleston fifth-year guard Jenna Annecchiarico, North Carolina A&T senior guard Maleia Bracone, Stony Brook graduate guard Gigi Gonzalez, Northeastern junior guard Gemima Motema and William & Mary graduate forward Nylah Young. 
 
Towson earned a share of the CAA regular season title for the first time in program history before advancing to the CAA Championship game last season. The Tigers return four starters from 2022-23, led by Kornegay-Lucas (14.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.0 apg), who was the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-CAA selection last season. She is joined by Quinzia Fulmore (10.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg) after both set career highs in points, rebounds and shooting percentage in 2022-23.
 
Stony Brook had its sixth straight winning season last year and finished sixth in the CAA (11-7) during its inaugural campaign. The Seawolves return three players to their starting lineup, including two All-CAA honorees. Gonzalez (12.5 ppg, 4.3 apg) is back for her fifth year with the program after receiving Third Team All-CAA honors in 2022-23, and Pittman (13.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg) returns after garnering Second Team All-CAA accolades in her first season on Long Island. 
 
Northeastern was also CAA co-regular season champion last season after winning a program-record 13 conference games last season. First-year head coach Priscilla Edwards-Lloyd looks to carry that momentum into 2023-24, retaining 12 players from last year’s roster. Erdogan (15.0 ppg, 4.0 apg) and Motema (12.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg) highlight the Husky returners. Last season, Erdogan was a First Team All-CAA selection, and Motema earned Third Team All-CAA and All-CAA Defensive team accolades. 
 
Delaware is two years removed from its CAA Championship victory in 2021-22, and Sarah Jenkins led the Blue Hens to their third straight winning season (16-14) in her first year at the helm. Jenkins dealt with roster turnover in year one and will face the same task this season; however, the Blue Hens benefit from returning Klarke Sconiers (12.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg), a Third Team All-CAA honoree, to the starting lineup. Among the newcomers expected to make an impact is Chloe Wilson (17.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg), who was a First Team All-NEC selection at Fairleigh Dickinson last year.  
 
Charleston had a disappointing season after high expectations in 2022-23, but there is cause for optimism in the Lowcountry. The Cougars welcome back their entire starting lineup and will be a force with Annecchiarico and Logan (18.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg) on the court together. Annecchiarico (16.6 ppg, 6.3 apg) missed last season due to injury but was a Second Team All-CAA honoree two years ago, and Logan was selected to the All-CAA Second Team in 2022-23, forming one of the best backcourts in the league. 
 
CAA Women’s Basketball expands to 14 teams with the addition of Campbell this winter after adding Hampton North Carolina A&T, Stony Brook and the defending CAA Champions, Monmouth, who elevated the league’s competitiveness in 2022-23. 
 
The 2023-24 women’s basketball season tips off November 6, with nine teams starting their journey for a CAA title. The year culminates March 13-17 at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. for the 2024 CAA Women’s Basketball Championship.
 
2023-24 CAA Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll
Team (1st) Points
1. Towson (9) 163
2. Stony Brook (2) 139
3. Northeastern (2) 138
4. Delaware 123
5. Charleston (1) 117
6. Monmouth 115
7. Drexel 104
8. North Carolina A&T 103
9. William & Mary 75
10. Campbell 68
11. Elon 56
12. Hofstra 33
13. Hampton 28
14. UNCW 21
 
2023-24 Preseason All-CAA Women’s Basketball Teams
First Team School Height Class Pos. Hometown / High School
Derin Erdogan Northeastern 5-6 Sr. G Istanbul, Turkey / Istanbul Universitesi SK
Kylie Kornegay-Lucas Towson 5-10 R-Sr. G Camden, Del. / New Hope Academy
Jada Logan Charleston 5-9 Fifth G Rutherfordton, N.C. / R-S Central
Sherese Pittman Stony Brook 6-2 Jr. F Richmond, Va. / The Steward School
Raven Preston Elon 5-11 So. G Greensboro, N.C. / Southeast Guilford
 
Second Team School Height Class Pos. Hometown / High School
Jenna Annecchiarico Charleston 5-6 Fifth G Baldwin, N.Y. / Baldwin HS
Maleia Bracone North Carolina A&T 5-10 Sr. G Anderson, S.C. / T.L. Hanna HS
Gigi Gonzalez Stony Brook 5-7 Gr. G Miramar, Fla. / Nova
Gemima Motema Northeastern 5-9 Jr. G Portland, Maine / Portland HS
Nylah Young William & Mary 5-11 Gr. F Suffolk, Va. / Kings Fork
 
2023-24 CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Kylie Kornegay-Lucas, Towson
 
Honorable Mention: Jordyn Dorsey (G), North Carolina A&T; Christabel Ezumah (F), Campbell; Quinzia Fulmore (F), Towson; Klarke Sconiers (C), Delaware; Shy Tuelle (G), Campbell; Ariana Vanderhoop (G), Monmouth; Chole Wilson (F), Delaware
 
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