BEAVERTON, Ore. --- Junior forward Alexis Wright of the Moravian College women's basketball team has been named a 2013-14 Preseason All-American by Women's DIII News.
The publication selected three players from each region for its Preseason All-America squad, and Wright is joined by Katie Lytle from Swarthmore College and Kyra Dayon of FDU-Florham to represent the Mid-Atlantic Region. Women's DIII News also selected Wright to be the Player of the Year in the Landmark Conference while selecting the Greyhounds to win the conference title.
"Alexis is as gifted as any player that I have ever coached here at Moravian," stated Head Women's Basketball Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "She has matured on and off the court, and we hope to see that growth as a junior in all phases of her game. I expect Alexis to increase her numbers in scoring and rebounding from last year, while also becoming a smoother, more disciplined player as well. I look forward to watching Alexis make bigger strides this year."
Wright enjoyed a standout sophomore season in 2012-13 that saw her named a Women's Basketball Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-American and a Women's DIII News Honorable Mention All-American while earning spots on the Landmark All-Conference First Team, the D3hoops.com All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Team and the ECAC Division III South All-Star First Team. Wright also earned the Pete Nevins Lehigh Valley Small College Women's Basketball Player of the Year honors and Lehigh Valley Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Most Outstanding Award for Women's Basketball last winter.
She led the 22-7 Greyhounds with averages of 16.5 points and a school-record 11.2 rebounds per game last season. Wright completed her sophomore season with 803 career points and is already 15th in school history with 551 career rebounds. Wright led Moravian with 66 blocked shots a year ago to increase her career total to 115 blocked shots, and she added 55 steals and 42 assists.
"Alexis draws a lot of attention to herself from opposing teams on both ends of the court," Spirk said. "Her teammates feed off this attention by freeing themselves up for shots, as Alexis is often doubled and tripled teamed. They also know on the defensive end that Alexis can block shots, help if they get beat and can rebound missed shots. Alexis will be the first one to tell you she needs her teammates and as much as they need her, and this kind of unselfish demeanor makes Alexis a great teammate."
The Greyhounds have 12 letterwinners and four starters back from last year's 22-7 squad that reached the championship game of the 2013 ECAC Division III South Tournament. Moravian, ranked 22nd in the Women's DIII News Preseason Top 25, begins its season on Friday, November 15 at the Southwestern (Texas) University Tournament battling Trinity (Texas) University in the first night of competition.
