WASHINGTON -- Davidson had quite a non-conference slate last season, showcasing a tenacity which earned victories over Duke and Wake Forest, while earning votes towards the AP Top 25 and Coaches Polls. The Wildcats are back this season, placing fourth in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, earning a first-place vote in the process, while Charlise Dunn earned a spot on the preseason second team.
“We’re really looking forward to getting back out on the court,” Davidson coach Gayle Fulks opened. “We return four seniors that have just had so much experience and are such wonderful leaders. With that, I have a lot of confidence in where we’re headed. This schedule we have really reflects what we believe in our team and what we’re capable of and I’m really excited to get back out there.”
During the high points of last season, it was clear just how much fun the Wildcats had, and it put the team on notice. ESPN’s Charlie Creme had Davidson in his Bracketology report.
This season, Fulks is confident that the pieces are in place to have an incredibly successful season.
“Every year we’re trying to be the most cohesive program in the country with how we play, how we interact, and I feel this group has really bought in to all of that,” analyzed Fulks. “It’s as tight of a group as I’ve ever seen. That’s our secret sauce here at Davidson, is the people. I think we’ve got all of the right ones, and I think that is what everyone is going to see when they watch this team play.”
Here’s a look at how the Wildcats stack up this season:
Coach- Gayle Fulks 8th season
Last Year- 18-11/8-10 A-10. Davidson had quite the successful non-conference slate. It first bested Wake Forest for the first time since 1998, gave a ranked North Carolina everything it had and then bested a Duke team which made the NCAA Tournament. Davidson would receive votes towards the AP Top 25 and Coaches polls throughout the non-conference slate, winning 10 consecutive games. Unfortunately, the Wildcats had some extremely challenging injuries causing the season to end prematurely.
They’ll Miss- Rosie Deegan (13.3 ppg/4.7 rebs/46.8% FG), Maddie Plank (6.2 ppg/4.1 rebs)
Impact returners- Charlise Dunn (12.7 ppg/6.1 rebs/41.7% FG/85.5% FT), Millie Prior (9.8 ppg/7.6 rebs/55.8% FG/49 blks), Issy Morgan (8.3 ppg/41.2% FG)
Newcomers of note- Jasmine Timmerson (1.5 ppg/eight starts at Pitt), Kyra Bruyndoncx (freshman), Candice Lienafa (freshman)
Reasons to be optimistic-
There are six new faces for Davidson and early returns show that three will have an impact.
Jasmine Timmerson had experience playing for Pitt and has seamlessly fit into the program.
Fulks was particularly high about the freshmen class and specifically cited Kyra Bruyndoncx and Candice Lienafa.
In Bruyndoncx, Fulks appreciated her stepping up and spotlit her as one that can be counted on early. Lienafa has showcased her athleticism as a forward, and there is belief that her athleticism has given Davidson a different dimension.
“I feel great about our freshmen class,” Fulks summarized. “I think we nailed it and our coaches did an excellent job in bringing in young women that fit our style of play perfectly. We’ve seen unbelievable things from there. We’ve had many practices where people have come in, watch and while we have six returners right now, we have six newcomers and it’s just been unidentifiable who is a returner and who’s new. That speaks to our upperclassmen and who is leading the way.”
X-Factor-
In her time at Davidson, Fulks, in addition to her staff, have created an Australian pipeline which has resulted in word of mouth bringing additional Aussies on campus.
Issy Morgan is a returning senior guard who has experienced this and has worked her way from being an all-rookie team selection in the 2021-22 season to becoming a leader for this Wildcats group.
“Coming in I had excellent leadership above me,” she said of her journey. “Cassidy Gould was a senior Australian when I came in as a freshman. She really took me under her wing, and I was fortunate to be playing early on, so having court-time experience as a freshman was very exciting, very rewarding, to be able to take those experiences into the years ahead. Every year has been very different, has come with a lot of challenges. I think I have experienced a lot over my last three years that has all really kept pushing me forward and put me in the leadership position I am in today. It’s been a crazy ride so far, but I think it has all been rewarding at the end of the day and put me in a great position for the upcoming year.”
Circle the dates- Fulks assessed this season’s schedule as one which matches the confidence in her team’s ability to compete. That starts with the Nov. 5 opener against Florida Gulf Coast, a 29-win team from a season ago which went a perfect 16-0 in conference play and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. A Nov. 10 contest against High Point is another challenge, this time versus a WBIT opponent. Three days later, Davidson faces a Cincinnati team which made the WNIT. Davidson meets Presbyterian Nov. 24, a side which won the Big South last season, advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Nov. 29 features the first game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off against Virginia Tech, another NCAA Tournament team, which won 25 times. Dec. 5 the Wildcats will face Ball State, which won 28 games and made the WBIT. Perhaps Davidson’s toughest test comes Dec. 11 when it faces a Final Four team in NC State.
Bottom line- Davidson was a fantastic story last year, despite the season not ending how it desired. Now the spark, smiles and happiness are back. This season will be a business trip for the Wildcats, determined to finish what it started. There is a clear belief in team at Davidson that has always been present, but that is even more apparent this season.
“Every day in the gym is fun,” Morgan concluded. “It’s hard and we compete every day but it’s so much fun, particularly with the work ethic of every single individual on our team this year. We’re so coherent, we work together, everyone is eager to learn. It’s such a great environment, that’s why I have a smile on my face all the time. So lucky, so excited to keep working with the group that we have this year.”