CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern’s Rachelle Coward and Lakeitha Alston were recognized on Tuesday afternoon as 2012 Big South Preseason All-Conference selections as chosen by the College Sports Madness staff.
Coward was selected to the First Team, while Alston earned Second Team honors as the Buccaneers continue team practice on their way to open up the 2012-2013 regular season on Saturday, November 10th when the Lady Bucs take on UNC Greensboro in the Big South/SoCon Challenge in Asheville, N.C.
Coward, a senior forward from Nova Scotia, Canada, made her mark on the court in her first season at Charleston Southern leading the team in averaging 17.9 points per game and setting a CSU single game record for three-pointers made with nine against Liberty. She also was named the Big South Conference Player of the Week on January 3rd for her performances in the Lady Bucs’ victories over Presbyterian and Winthrop. The UNC Charlotte transfer also set marks scoring in double figures in 15 straight games and scored a career high 32 points twice on the season. She also led the conference in free throw percentage at 81.7 percent in the 2011-2012 season.
Alston, a senior guard/forward from Myrtle Beach, S.C., finished second on the team and sixth in the Big South Conference in scoring with 16.1 points per game and is currently sitting just 53 points shy of 1,000 for her career at Charleston Southern. The Carolina Forrest High School graduate led the team with four double-doubles last season and posted one of the best games in her career last season in CSU’s 82-77 victory over Clemson with 31 points and 10 rebounds. She also ranked second in the Big South shooting 53.7 percent from the field and was 16th in the NCAA Division I rankings in field goal percentage.
Winthrop’s Dequesha McClanahan was selected as the College Sports Madness Preseason Player of the Year, while Liberty head coach Carey Green was named the Preseason Coach of the Year.
College Sports Madness covers all aspects of college sports…from recruiting right up through the draft. The previews will prepare fans for the upcoming season of their favorite sport and follow their team all the way through the postseason. The Madness helps the college fan follow their favorite teams with our unique team pages that, in one place, brings together information about that school’s football squad and women’s soccer team and everything in between.
To see the full College Sports Madness Big South Preseason Team, click on the link:
Madness 2012-2013 Big South Preseason All-Conference Teams