SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Emily Bowman was named to the Southern Conference's preseason all-Southern Conference Team in a release from the conference office Wednesday morning.
 
Bowman, who is going into her fourth year with the Bulldogs, was named to the SoCon's All-Defensive team and averaged 9.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game last season. She posted six double-doubles on the season and grabbed a school-record 21 rebounds against North Alabama.
 
The release also featured the Southern Conference's preseason coaches' poll where the Bulldogs were placed at sixth.
 
Samford received 19 points in the poll. Chattanooga was picked as the preseason favorite with 48 points and six first-place votes. UNC Greensboro was picked second with 39 points and two first-place votes.
 
Following Samford, Western Carolina was picked seventh with 14 points, followed by Mercer with 12.

Samford will open the 2025-26 season with their annual Education Day at home on Nov. 3. The full preseason poll and All-SoCon team are below.
 
2025-26 Southern Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll
 
Team (1st-place votes) Total
Chattanooga (6) 48
UNCG (2) 39
ETSU 38
Wofford 28
Furman 26
Samford 19
Western Carolina 14
Mercer 12
 
2025-26 Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year
 
Caia Elisaldez, Jr., G, Chattanooga
 
2025-26 Preseason All-Southern Conference Team
Meghan Downing, Sr., F, ETSU
Carmen Richardson, So., G, ETSU
Clare Coyle, So., F, Furman
Ariana Bennett, Sr., F, Mercer
Makiah Asidanya, Jr., G, UNCG
Jaila Lee, Sr., G, UNCG
Emily Bowman, R-Sr., C, Samford
Gianna Corbitt, So., F, Chattanooga
Caia Elisaldez, Jr., G, Chattanooga
Molly Masingale, So., G, Wofford
 
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