March 1, 2012

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference Sports Media Association released its postseason awards on Thursday. Samford senior guard Paige Anderson was named second-team All-SoCon and freshman forward Taylor Reece was named to the All-Freshman team.

Appalachian State's Anna Freeman was named the league's Player of the Year. ASU's Maryah Sydnor was named the SoCon's Freshman of the Year. Davidson's Michele Savage was honored as the league's Coach of the Year.

For the season, Anderson led the team and ranked fifth in the conference in scoring, averaging 13.1 points per game. She led the team and ranked third in the league in both three-point field goal percentage (.404) and free throw percentage (.850).

For her career, Anderson ranks fourth in school history in three-pointers made (147), fifth in three-pointers attempted (366), sixth in games played (122), eighth in free throw made (214), eighth in free throws attempted (256) and 10th in scoring (877).

Reece had an impressive freshman season for the Bulldogs. She tied for second on the team in scoring, with an average of 8.9 points per game. She ranked second on the team and sixth in the SoCon in three-point field goal percentage, making 37.3 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc.

Samford finished the regular-season with a record of 17-12 overall and 12-8 in SoCon play. The Bulldogs are the No. 4 seed in the SoCon Tournament, and will open play in the tournament by taking on the No. 5 seed Elon Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. (CT). This year's tournament will be played in Asheville, N.C.

2012 SoCon Women's Basketball Awards

Media All-Conference Team
First Team
Anna Freeman, Appalachian State
Sophia Aleksandravicius, Davidson
Laura Murray, Davidson
Ali Ford, Elon
Whitney Hood, Chattanooga

Second Team
Courtney Freeman, Appalachian State
Kelsey Evans, Elon
Raegan Thompson, Furman
Paige Anderson, Samford
Kaila'Shea Menendez, Western Carolina

Media All-Freshmen Team
Maryah Sydnor, Appalachian State
Sam Coffer, Elon
Brittany Hodges, Furman
Anna Claire Knight, Georgia Southern
Taylor Reece, Samford

Media Player of the Year
Anna Freeman, Appalachian State

Media Freshman of the Year
Maryah Sydnor, Appalachian State

Media Coach of the Year
Michele Savage, Davidson