SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Southern Conference coaches and media both voted Appalachian State University women's basketball tenth in the league's preseason poll, the SoCon announced Thursday. Senior Brittany Mixon was selected to the preseason all-conference team as well.

Appalachian received 22 points in the coaches poll, Chattanooga was picked to defend its three-straight SoCon titles with 98 points and eight first-place votes. Western Carolina was picked second with 92 points and three first-place votes. Davidson and league newcomer Samford followed in third and fourth. Georgia Southern was picked fifth with 62 points while College of Charleston were sixth and seventh, respectively. Furman edged out Wofford for eighth place and Elon finished 11th with 21 points.

Chattanooga received 12 of 15 first-place votes in the media poll, with Western Carolina receiving the other two. The teams finished in the same order as the other poll, with one of the biggest difference being the increase in points for the Mountaineers. ASU garnered 35 points, 11 more than Elon in the poll.

Davidson's Mercedes Robinson was selected as the league's preseason player of the year, as voted by the coaches. Robinson leads all returning players in the league with 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game a season ago
Mixon returns as the Mountaineers in points (8.7) and rebounds (6.5) per game. The lone senior on the squad, Mixon led the team in minutes per game last season and shot .426 from the field.

Western Carolina and Wofford each placed two players on the preseason squad while Chattanooga, College of Charleston, Davidson, Georgia Southern, UNC Greensboro and Samford each had one student-athlete on the team.

2008-09 SoCon Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
Place School (1st-place votes) - Points
1. Chattanooga (8) - 98
2. Western Carolina (3) - 92
3. Davidson - 77
4. Samford - 70
5. Georgia Southern - 62
6. College of Charleston - 52
7. UNC Greensboro - 42
8. Furman - 35
9. Wofford - 34
10. Appalachian State - 22
11. Elon - 21

2008-09 SoCon Women's Basketball Preseason Media Poll
Place School (1st) - Points
1. Chattanooga (12) - 162
2. Western Carolina (3) - 152
3. Davidson - 132
4. Samford - 117
5. Georgia Southern - 101
6. College of Charleston - 87
7. UNC Greensboro - 77
8. Furman - 54
9. Wofford - 49
10. Appalachian State - 35
11. Elon - 24

2008-09 SoCon Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Mercedes Robinson, Davidson ? Preseason Player of the Year
Shanara Hollinquest, Chattanooga
Brooke Johnson, Western Carolina
Kristen Boone, UNC Greensboro
Emily London, Samford
Jade Hughes, College of Charleston
Liz Miller, Wofford
Ashley Melson, Georgia Southern
Lauren Powell, Western Carolina
Mahagony Williams, Wofford
Brittany Mixon, Appalachian State