Photo by: Parker Waters
Women’s Basketball’s Kolby Morgan and Leslie Vorpahl Receive Preseason All-Conference Recognition
Oct 24, 2016 | Women's Basketball
Morgan earns first team honors while Vorpahl lands on the second team
PHILADELPHIA – The American Athletic Conference kick started Media Day on Monday morning by announcing the women's basketball preseason all-conference players. For the first time in the Green Wave's short three year history in the league, two players landed on the preseason list as junior Kolby Morgan received First Team honors while senior Leslie Vorpahl notched Second Team accolades.
Morgan will begin her junior campaign as The American's top returning scorer, averaging 17.2 points per game last season. The New Orleans native became the first player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points in her first two seasons, all while ranking 46th in the nation in total steals with 77.
Meanwhile, Vorpahl returns as the league's top assist producer, averaging 5.4 assists per game last season, which also ranked 35th in the country. Vorpahl was selected as The American's Most Improved Player in 2016, as the San Antonio native averaged 10.7 points per game while shooting 40.0 percent from three-point range.
Lastly, in the preseason coaches' poll, Tulane was picked to finish fourth in the conference behind USF, Temple and the four-time defending national champion in UConn.
Preseason Player of the Year
Kia Nurse, Jr., G, UConn
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Katie Lou Samuelson, So., G/F, UConn
Kia Nurse, Jr., G, UConn
Kitija Laska, So., F, USF
Alliya Butts, Jr., G, Temple*
Feyonda Fitzgerald, Sr., G, Temple
Kolby Morgan, Jr., G, Tulane
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Zykira Lewis, Sr., G, UCF
Napheesa Collier, So., F, UConn
Gabby Williams, Jr., G, UConn
Alicia Froling, Jr., F, SMU
Leslie Vorpahl, Sr., G, Tulane
[*] denotes unanimous selection
2016-17 Preseason Coaches' Poll (First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. UConn (10)* 100
2. Temple 87
3. USF (1) 86
4. Tulane 73
5. SMU 50
6. East Carolina 49
7. Memphis 47
8. UCF 41
9. Tulsa 33
10. Cincinnati 23
11. Houston 16
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Morgan will begin her junior campaign as The American's top returning scorer, averaging 17.2 points per game last season. The New Orleans native became the first player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points in her first two seasons, all while ranking 46th in the nation in total steals with 77.
Meanwhile, Vorpahl returns as the league's top assist producer, averaging 5.4 assists per game last season, which also ranked 35th in the country. Vorpahl was selected as The American's Most Improved Player in 2016, as the San Antonio native averaged 10.7 points per game while shooting 40.0 percent from three-point range.
Lastly, in the preseason coaches' poll, Tulane was picked to finish fourth in the conference behind USF, Temple and the four-time defending national champion in UConn.
Preseason Player of the Year
Kia Nurse, Jr., G, UConn
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Katie Lou Samuelson, So., G/F, UConn
Kia Nurse, Jr., G, UConn
Kitija Laska, So., F, USF
Alliya Butts, Jr., G, Temple*
Feyonda Fitzgerald, Sr., G, Temple
Kolby Morgan, Jr., G, Tulane
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Zykira Lewis, Sr., G, UCF
Napheesa Collier, So., F, UConn
Gabby Williams, Jr., G, UConn
Alicia Froling, Jr., F, SMU
Leslie Vorpahl, Sr., G, Tulane
[*] denotes unanimous selection
2016-17 Preseason Coaches' Poll (First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. UConn (10)* 100
2. Temple 87
3. USF (1) 86
4. Tulane 73
5. SMU 50
6. East Carolina 49
7. Memphis 47
8. UCF 41
9. Tulsa 33
10. Cincinnati 23
11. Houston 16
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Players Mentioned
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