AUGUSTA, Ga. - The Peach Belt Conference released their 2023-2024 Women's Basketball preview for the upcoming season which included the Preseason Coaches Poll that saw the Lander Women's Basketball team picked to finish seventh among the conference's ten teams. The Bearcats garnered 33 points in the poll.

North Georgia was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the conference with eight of the ten first place votes while USC Aiken and Augusta each earned a first place vote of their own.

The Blue and Gold have five players returning from the 2022-23 squad, including PBC Freshman of the Year Quadaija Langley (Travelers Rest, S.C.), along with seven newcomers to the program. 

As part of the preview, Head Coach Stephanie Gehlhausen was interviewed along with fifth year guard, Jakiyah Parker (Augusta, Ga.)



"It's a fun group and the thing I'm most excited about is that this group is 'all in'," said Head Coach Stephanie Gehlhausen. "While we have newcomers, it's a whole new team and I believe the culture has really brought them together quickly."

The Bearcats start their season with a trip to Jefferson City, Tenn. to take on perineal South Atlantic Conference and Southeast Region contenders Lenoir-Rhyne and Carson Newman. The next weekend sees a trip just down the road to Anderson, S.C. to take on Young Harris as well as the Emmanuel Lions in another weekend crossover tournament.

Lander opens their home slate Thanksgiving week on Wednesday, November 22nd against Auburn-Montgomery and on Saturday, November 25th against Fayetteville State. The home non-conference slate also includes games against rival Erskine, Columbia College, and Anderson.

The Peach Belt conference slate opens when the calander turns to 2024 and will open at home for the Bearcats as they host USC Aiken on January 3rd.

The PBC Women's Basketball Championship will take place from March 7th-10th and will be hosted at the #1 seed's campus.