VIDEO: Skylar Boshears Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – As the Lady Eagles get set to defend their regular-season championship, it is time to preview the 2021-22 Carson-Newman women's basketball roster starting with a look at the backcourt with junior Skylar Boshears of the preseason South Atlantic Conference favorites.
To begin the season, coach Mike Mincey's team is ranked No. 21 in the country and returns all five starters and four all-conference selections. Two players graduated from last year's team in key role players Qua Hines and Madison Bunch who each averaged 16 minutes per game. Hines tallied three assists per game and made 39 percent from long range in 35 contests. Bunch played in 80 games over four seasons scoring 301 points and drilling 65 career triples.
Leading the loaded returners, Braelyn Wykle (Greeneville, Tenn.) was an All-American as a sophomore earning the SAC Player of the Year award finishing the year ranked fifth in the country with 23 points per game, the highest in program history breaking a record that had been held since the first year of the program in 1978-79. The guard needs 63 points to join the 1,000-point club making 49 percent of her shots through two campaigns.
The Volunteer State native tallied eight 20-point scoring efforts in a row from Jan. 27-Feb. 17, 2021, the most in program history since at least 2002. During the eight-game sequence, she averaged 24.9 points (199 total), shooting 48 percent from the floor (67-for-141), 46 percent from long distance (27-for-59) and 84 percent at the free-throw line (38-for-45).
Boshears is the second part of the backcourt duo to earn all-conference laurels taking home an honorable mention nod in her first year at Mossy Creek. Despite being a junior this year, the LaFollette, Tenn. has not played a traditional year of college basketball after transferring from Furman. She was the team's third-leading scorer with a 11.4 per night tacking on four rebounds and two assists with 25 steals and three shot blocks.
The Furman transfer posted 10 double-digit scoring nights and four games with at least 20 points. Her best game came in her third appearance in a Lady Eagle uniform scoring 26 points in 35 minutes of play in a win over Lenoir-Rhyne on Jan. 16.
"I am very excited to open up the season against a very competitive team like Lander," Boshears said. "We are preparing very well for them. We've been watching film so it's going to be a really exciting game. I've been focusing on my outside shot and doing everything that I can to improve that to feel more confident in that.
"I've learned playing with the girls that we all click together," Boshears said. "We have something special. Coming into this season ranked as a top 25 team is very special so we just have to prove it."
Abby Wilson (Kingston, Tenn.) earned an expanded role a year ago as the anchor of a pilfering press. She racks up a steal once every dozen minutes she spends on the floor for her career. The senior led the team in assists seven times a year ago with four games of five including the NCAA Tournament's opening round against Catawba.
Rounding out the group of veterans, Taylor Goforth (Friendsville, Tenn.) registered 14 minutes per game during the title season doing it all leading the team in assists, rebounds and blocks at least once during her junior campaign.
Three newcomers join the fray at the guard position and expect to see extensive playing time. Campbell Penland (Sevierville, Tenn.), the daughter of former C-N quarterback and 1995 SAC Offensive Player of the Year Matt, did it all during her prep career at Northview Academy tallying over 1,500 points.
Tori Rutherford (Rutledge, Tenn.) guided Grainger to the state quarterfinals during a high school career that was capped with an all-state selection after leading the Lady Grizzlies to a state runner-up finish.
Makayla Alvey (Dandridge, Tenn.) has a year of college under her belt playing softball at Lipscomb during the spring but is making the transition back to the hardwood where she was an All-State selection for Jefferson County High School.
"We have very talented freshman coming in," Boshears said. "Campbell, Tori and Makayla are going to come in and play a huge role for us. We have to go on the court and prove it. We have to go out there and play hard and prove that we belong up there."
In part two of the preseason preview, Harli Smith (Jamestown, Tenn.) takes a glance at the frontcourt that returns all of the post minutes from the Covid-shortened season. The entire rundown will be available on Thursday morning.
- CN -
