Women's basketball players Kwanza Murray (Summerville, S.C./Summerville (Lackawanna College)) and Alisia Machado (Brooklyn, N.Y./Medgar Evars Prep (Grambling)) have been named to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Pre-season all-conference team in voting done by the league's coaches and sports information directors and announced by the conference office this morning at the CIAA Basketball Media Day in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The CIAA Women's Basketball predicted order of finish was also announced with the Lions picked fifth overall and third in the CIAA North Division.

A 2019 CIAA All-Conference honoree,  Murray became the Lions' first player in their NCAA Division II history to earn East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's Basketball Player of the Year honors

Murray led the team in scoring (18.0 points/game), three-point field goals made (55), three point field goal percentage (.451) and free throw percentage (.800).  She finished second on the team in field goal percentage (.457) and steals (31). 
 
Murray ranked third in the CIAA in scoring and led the league in three-point field goal percentage.  In all, she was ranked among the top five CIAA players in six different offensive categories and top three in five. 
 
Last season, Murray set single season school records for three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage.  In her first game as a Lion on December 15, 2018 against Winston-Salem State, Kwanza made six three-point field goals, setting a Lincoln NCAA division II-era record for most three-point field goals in a single game.  She reached double figure scoring in 18 of her 21 games played, including a career-high 31 against Virginia State on February 23, 2019.

Machado led the team in rebounds, averaging 7.4 per game while appearing in 29 of the Lions 31 contests.  She averaged 8.2 points per game and shot 58.5% (96-164) from the field, a Lincoln single season record.   Alisia finished the season with 37 blocks (1.2/gm.), ranking fourth in the CIAA and ranked seventh in defensive rebounds (5.6/gm.). 

In her Lincoln debut, Machado grabbed a career best 17 rebounds against University of the district of Columbia on November 14, 2018.  She scored a career high 28 points while grabbing 11 rebounds at Elizabeth City State on February 13, 2019. 

The Lions were picked to finish fifth overall in the league after reaching the CIAA Tournament semi-finals for the third consecutive year.  Coach Darrell Mosley's 2019-20 squad boasts 11 returnees from last year's 17-14 team along with a mixture of incoming freshman and transfers.  In addition to Murray and Machado, the team will also feature seniors DeAshia Young (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Public Safety Academy (Labette CC)) and Kenzie Spencer (Richmond, Va./Henrico). Young led the team in assists and was the team's leading scorer behind Murray.  Spencer averaged 9.7 points per game and was second on the team in blocked shots with 24.  The complete order of finish is belwo

Lincoln's 2019-20 schedule will feature two exhibition games against division I opponents starting with University of Maryland on October 29, 2019.  The Lions will also travel to play North Carolina Central University on December 21, 2019.  Lincoln opens the season at home with the CIAA/PSAC Challenge, playing Kutztown University on Friday, November 8 and Clarion University on Saturday, November 9.

The Lions will also have road games against two other PSAC teams in November, Shepherd University (Nov. 14) and West Chester University (Nov. 19) before returning home to host Shippensburg University on Nov. 21.  Lincoln's final game against a non-CIAA opponent will be on December 17 when the team travels to Caldwell College.

Lincoln opens conference play at Johnson C. Smith University on November 23 and with the exception of the Caldwell game and the North Carolina Central game will play CIAA opponents the rest of the season.


CIAA Women's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish

1. Virginia Union
2. Fayetteville State
3. Bowie State
4. Johnson C. Smith
5. Lincoln (PA)
6. Elizabeth City State
7. Winston-Salem State
8. Livingstone
9. Virginia State
10. Claflin
11. Shaw
12. Saint Augustine's

Northern Division

1. Virginia Union
2. Bowie State
3. Lincoln (PA)
4. Elizabeth City State
5. Virginia State

Southern Division

1. Fayetteville State
2. Johnson C. Smith
3. Winston-Salem State
4. Livingstone
5. Claflin
6. Shaw
7. Saint Augustine's