BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – University of Tennessee junior forward Rennia Davis has been named to the SEC Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason All-SEC First Team.
Davis was one of eight players chosen for preseason all-league first-team honors. The Lady Vol standout earned All-SEC Second Team recognition as a sophomore following her play during the 2018-19 campaign and was a preseason All-SEC Second Team choice by the media earlier this month. She also is on the 20-player Cheryl Miller Award Preseason Watch List.
A 6-foot-2 product of Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Florida, Davis led UT in scoring (14.9), rebounding (7.7) and free throw percentage (.856) in her second season on Rocky Top. She ranked No. 1 in the SEC in free throw percentage, No. 8 in rebounding and No. 12 in scoring a year ago.
Davis’ scoring average tied for No. 5 all-time by a UT sophomore, while her rebound average was the ninth-best for a second-year performer at Tennessee. Her sophomore-year double-double total (9) was the sixth-most by an active player in the SEC last season and the second-most by an underclassman.
Texas A&M’s Chennedy Carter was voted as SEC Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. Tennessee’s Davis and Arkansas’ Chelsea Dungee also received votes.
Joining Carter, Dungee and Davis on the All-SEC Preseason First Team are Rhyne Howard, Kentucky; Ayana Mitchell, LSU; Jordan Danberry, Mississippi State; Amber Smith, Missouri; and Tyasha Harris, South Carolina.
The Preseason All-SEC Second Team is comprised of Cierra Johnson, Alabama; Daisa Alexander, Auburn; Unique Thompson, Auburn; Gabby Connally, Georgia; Chloe Bibby, Mississippi State; Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, South Carolina; Ciera Johnson, Texas A&M; Kayla Wells, Texas A&M and Mariella Fasoula, Vanderbilt.
Coaches cannot vote for their own team or players and ties are not broken, which led to nine on the second team.
Texas A&M was predicted to win the 2020 Southeastern Conference women’s basketball championship in a vote of the league’s coaches. South Carolina, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee round out the top half the league. Auburn, Missouri, Georgia, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Florida fill spots eight through 14.
The Lady Vols were 19-13 overall and 7-9 in SEC play a year ago, tying for eighth place in the league standings. UT enters the 2019-20 season led by new head coach Kellie Harper and returning two starters and six total letterwinners who saw action last year. UT welcomes five new players and another who sat out 2018-19 due to injury.
Order of Finish
1. Texas A&M
2. South Carolina
3. Mississippi State
4. Kentucky
5. Arkansas
6. LSU
7. Tennessee
8. Auburn
9. Missouri
10. Georgia
11. Alabama
12. Vanderbilt
13. Ole Miss
14. Florida
Player of the Year
Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M
First Team All-SEC
Chelsea Dungee, Arkansas
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Ayana Mitchell, LSU
Jordan Danberry, Mississippi State
Amber Smith, Missouri
Tyasha Harris, South Carolina
Rennia Davis, Tennessee
Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M
Second Team All-SEC
Cierra Johnson, Alabama
Daisa Alexander, Auburn
Unique Thompson, Auburn
Gabby Connally, Georgia
Chloe Bibby, Mississippi State
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, South Carolina
Ciera Johnson, Texas A&M
Kayla Wells, Texas A&M
Mariella Fasoula, Vanderbilt
UT Athletics
