SPARTANBURG, S.C. --- Chattanooga women's basketball was well-represented on Wednesday after the Southern Conference released its Preseason All-Conference Team ahead of the 2024-25 season, with Sigrun Olafsdottir and Kalifa Ford each earning spots on list, as announced by the league office.
A total of 11 players, which were voted on by the conference's coaches, were ultimately honored with the tag of Preseason All-SoCon. This marks the first time in either player's career that they will be entering a season with preseason recognition from the conference. It also now marks back-to-back seasons that UTC has had two players receive Preseason All-Conference nods.
"Many times, All-Conference recognition goes to the most talented and not always the most deserving," head coach Deandra Schirmer said. "I can't think of two women more deserving of this honor than Sigrun and Kalifa. They pace us every day in practice with their hard work, their drive to succeed and their leadership."
Sigrun Olafsdottir is coming off a 2023-24 campaign in which she cemented herself as on of the Southern Conference's premier defenders, having earned a spot on the league's All-Defensive Team and narrowly being edged out for SoCon Defensive Player of the Year.
The Iceland native appeared and started in all 33 games of UTC's 28-5 season from a year ago, helping to guide the Mocs to the program's 17th NCAA Tournament appearance. Olafsdottir wrapped up her 2023-24 campaign averaging 5.7 points/game, 2.2 rebounds/game, 1.1 steals/game and 0.9 assists/game for the squad while also serving as the team's primary defender, often limiting the opposition's leading scorers to finish in the single digits.
Olafsdottir has long been a mainstay on the Chattanooga women's basketball squad, with the grad student having played in a total of 120 games during her time with the Mocs, including making 117 total starts in that span. A two-time SoCon Tournament champion and one-time SoCon regular season champion, Olafsdottir returns for one last dance with the Mocs in 2024-25.
"Sigrun has been a key member of this program for years," Schirmer said. "She was a key piece in back-to-back championship seasons and when you get the chance to be around her and work with her you understand why.
"She is the ultimate competitor with a high basketball IQ and an unrivaled work ethic. It would be hard to find someone more deserving of this honor and recognition."
Ford joined the Mocs this offseason after transferring in from Valdosta State, where she was able to transform herself into one of the country's top players in all of Division II. Leading the Lady Blazers to a 30-3 record and the team's fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, Ford wrapped up her season having raked in numerous individual honors and accolades that included being named a First Team WBCA Division II All-American as well as the Gulf South Conference's Player of the Year.
A native of Bono, Arkansas, Ford averaged 14.2 points/game on a 47.7 percent shooting clip. She would add 4.6 rebounds/game, 1.8 assists/game and 1.8 steals/game to her season stat line, and Ford would ultimately cap off the year having scored 20+ points in a total of 20 contests for the Lady Blazers.
After helping to turn VSU into a Division II powerhouse, Ford now takes her talents to the Scenic City to play one last season alongside Coach Schirmer, and it's clear that the grad student is getting the respect she deserves from the league's coaches as she receives a spot on the Preseason All-SoCon Team having yet to have donned a Chattanooga jersey.
"Kalifa has established herself as a dynamic playmaker on a championship team," Schirmer said. "She has yet to play a second in the SoCon yet was voted by the coaches to receive this award. I think that speaks volumes to how impressive of a career she has already had.
"I have been blessed to be able to be around Kalifa for many years now, and to know all the things that she has had to fight through to get this moment, I couldn't be happier for her. I am so unbelievably proud of the amazing woman she has become."
Preseason All-Conference honors weren't the only thing released by the league office on Wednesday, with the Preseason Coaches Poll also dropping. The Mocs were selected to finish in sixth place ahead of the 2024-25 season, receiving 23 total points in the poll. Wofford, who nearly swept all eight first-place votes in the poll, is projected to win the league having netted 49 points.
Olafsdottir, Ford and the rest of the Chattanooga women's basketball team will tip off the 2024-25 season at home on Monday, November 4 at 6 p.m. ET against Shorter University at McKenzie Arena. Fans will have an opportunity to meet the team even sooner than that by stopping by the program's annual Boo & Gold Halloween Event, scheduled for Tuesday, October 29 at the Roundhouse. Doors are set to open at 5:30 p.m. ET and more details surrounding the event will be coming soon.
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Rachael Rose, G, Wofford (Preseason Player of the Year)
Helen Matthews, G, Wofford
Sigrun Olafsdottir, G/F, Chattanooga
Kalifa Ford, G/F, Chattanooga
Kennedy Langham, G, Samford
Khalis Cain, F, UNCG
Jayde Gamble, G, UNCG
Tate Walters, G, Furman
Kate Johnson, F, Furman
Jada Session, F, Furman
Kendall Folley, G, ETSU
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Wofford (7) – 49 pts
2. UNCG (1) – 42 pts
T3. Samford – 31 pts
T3. Furman – 31 pts
5. ETSU – 25 pts
6. Chattanooga – 23 pts
7. Mercer – 13 pts
8. Western Carolina – 10 pts
() denotes first-place votes received
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