University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldogs Picked Atop Preseason Poll; Major, Knuckles Earn All-Conference Honors
10.25.2016 | Women's Basketball
CONCORD, N.C.- The UNC Asheville women's basketball team was voted to finish top of the league for the first time in school history in the 2016 Big South Conference Preseason Poll, the conference announced this afternoon.
In addition, two Bulldogs picked up preseason conference honors, Chatori Major and Tianna Knuckles. Reigning 2015-16 Big South Conference Player of the Year, and BSC Tournament MVP, Chatori Major was named the 2016-17 Preseason Player of the Year, while teammate Knuckles also earned Preseason First Team All-Conference honors.
"We are honored to be the preseason favorite of a truly competitive league. When external expectations for the program start matching the internal expectations that we have had all a long you know that the program is moving in the right direction. I am extremely proud of Chatori and the work that she has put in to garner the honor of preseason player of the year. The fact that she has a teammate in Tianna Knuckles who is along side her on the First Team is special and says a lot about all of the young ladies on our team,” said head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick
Major is the reigning Big South Player of the year, and Big South Conference Tournament MVP. She was Asheville's leading scorer in 2015-16 and provided team-high points in 13 games. Major led the Bulldogs in eight statistical categories. She ranked in the top 10 in the Big South (2015-16) in: Three-point percentage (1st), scoring (5th), Field Goal percentage (6th) and Three-pointers made (5th). Major started all 33 games last season and scored in double figures in 23 games.
"It's truly an honor to be named Preseason Player of the Year. I try to focus on what has gotten me to this point and that's working hard to become a better teammate and a better player. However, in all honestly I couldn't have gotten here without my teammates they really opened the lane for me to receive this, they make me a great player/ teammate," Major said.
Knuckles was the second leading scorer for Asheville and provided team-high points in 13 games last season. She led the Bulldogs in three statistical categories last season. She started 32 games in 2015-16 and scored in double-figures in 23 games. She ranked in the top 10 in the Big South in the 2015-16 season in: Three-pointers made (3rd), Three-point shooting percentage (8th), Scoring (9th) and Field Goal Percentage 11th).
The defending Big South Conference Champions received eight first place votes for 97 total points to come in on top of the 2016-17 Big South Conference Preseason Poll.
The Bulldogs finished first in regular season play in 2015-16 despite being picked eighth in the preseason poll. This was the first regular season title in program history.
“This group continues to focus on the day to day process of getting better. While being picked #1 in the preseason is an honor, it does nothing to help you actually win the title. There is a lot of talent in this league and a group of coaches who make every game a challenge. This league is up for grabs and it will be a fight night in night out," Kirkpatrick said.
For a complete list of Preseason Poll results and a list of All-Conference members, please see below.
2016-17 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
Rk Team (first-place votes) Points
1. UNC Asheville (8) 97
2. Radford 78
3. High Point (1) 76
4. Liberty (1) 72
5. Presbyterian College 61
6. Gardner-Webb 50
7. Charleston Southern 38
8. Campbell 36
9. Longwood 24
10. Winthrop 18
Note: points are based on a weighted system. First-place votes received 10 points, followed by 9 points for second-place, and so on.
2016-17 Big South Conference Women's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
First-Team School Cl.
Chatori Major UNC Asheville Sr.
Erica Williams Winthrop Sr.
Kaylah Keys High Point Sr.
Janayla White Radford Jr.
Tianna Knuckles UNC Asheville Sr.
Second Team School Cl.
Alyssa Mann Charleston Southern R-Sr.
Taylor Petty Presbyterian College Soph.
Cortney Storey Presbyterian College Jr.
Aianna Kelly Presbyterian College Sr.
Emma Bockrath High Point Soph.
