SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced today the results of its postseason awards balloting as voted on by the league's eight women's basketball coaches. Wofford's Evangelia Paulk was named the SoCon Player and Defensive Player of the Year as one of four Terriers to receive recognition. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
On top of her major awards, Paulk was named a first-team selection with a nod to the all-defensive team. Helen Matthews joined Paulk on the All-SoCon First Team. Molly Masingale was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team, and Libby Privett was honored with the Ann Lashley Inspiration Award.
 
Paulk, a sophomore from Asheville, North Carolina, becomes only the fourth SoCon player to ever earn both the player and defensive player of the year nods in the same season, and this marks the first time it's happened since Chattanooga's Taylor Hall in the 2013-14 campaign. She is the first Terrier to ever earn defensive player of the year honors and is only the third Terrier to ever be named player of the year. With Rachael Rose earning the honor in each of the last two seasons, Wofford has boasted the SoCon Player of the Year in now three-straight campaigns. Paulk becomes the fifth Terrier ever honored on the all-defensive team, and her selection marks four-straight seasons with a Terrier on the team.
 
Last season's SoCon Freshman of the Year, Paulk stepped up this season with 13.2 points per game to rank third in the SoCon while leading the league with 8.5 rebounds per game. She is the only player in the conference to average a double-double in league play with a 16.2 scoring mark and 10.0 rebounding clip. Paulk boasts 92 steals, ninth in the nation and five shy of the Wofford single-season record. Her 3.41 steals per game mark ranks sixth nationally. She is the only player in the country with at least two games this season of 10-plus steals, one of which was her 13 against Erskine to set a new program record for a game. The other occasion was her 10 swipes against Samford, a game in which she added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the second triple-double in program history. It was the first triple-double in SoCon history to feature steals as a marker. Paulk owns eight double-doubles this season.
 
"I am ecstatic for Evangelia to be recognized with these two major conference awards highlighting her outstanding play throughout the course of the entire regular season," said head coach Jimmy Garrity. "While 'E' does so many things to impact each game on the court, I believe her biggest impact comes in her leadership, positivity, and the unending support of her teammates. Throughout this season, we have needed many different things from Evangelia, and she has responded every single time through her incredible effort on the court, the reassurance and doses of confidence she gives her teammates, and just the example she sets with her work ethic every practice and game. She takes so much pride in wearing the Wofford jersey and even more so in the impact she makes in it every single day."
 
Matthews, a fifth-year senior from Kaiapoi, New Zealand, is averaging 11.1 points per game, 12^th in the conference. She has earned her first-career All-SoCon nod. By joining Paulk on the first team, this marks the first time in program history that two players have been honored on the first team in the same season. Matthews adds a 4.8 rebounding clip with 12 blocks and 24 steals. She is shooting 41.0 percent on the season. Matthews was clutch earlier this season when she put home the game-winning layup with 1.1 on the clock at Western Carolina to seal Wofford's road victory.
 
"I am thrilled for Helen to be rewarded with a well-earned spot on the All-SoCon First Team this season as she has been a tremendous difference maker in our program not only this year, but over her entire career as a Terrier," said Garrity. "It is difficult to narrow down all she brings to our team but her impact spreads throughout our entire program from running our offense to her impactful defensive plays to the overall contributions she makes in our locker room throughout the course of each season. Helen has been so enjoyable to coach, and we are all excited for her to earn this recognition."
 
Masingale, a freshman from Englewood, Tennessee, puts a bow on her rookie campaign by securing Wofford's second consecutive season with an all-freshman team player. The southpaw broke out with 10.9 points per game and a 4.9 rebounding mark. She settled in nicely to her first taste of SoCon play, posting a 12.6 scoring clip in league action, 10^th in the SoCon, alongside the eighth-best rebounding average at 6.1. Cool at the stripe, Masingale shoots 77.8 percent from the free throw line, fifth in the league. She buried two late foul shots in the waning seconds against Mercer on senior night to help seal a one-point win for the Terriers. She has two double-doubles this season and boasts 2.5 assists per game while shooting a team-best 37.4 percent beyond the arc.
 
"Molly came into our program to make a difference, and she has done exactly that in her first year," said Garrity. "Our league is filled with great freshmen each year, and she has joined that group with her confident play and the unwavering effort she brings to each practice and game. Molly has been such a spark this season as she transitioned into a starting role before our SoCon games began in January. Molly has been so coachable, positive, and downright gritty throughout the entire season and the belief she has in her game, especially in big moments, has given our entire team added confidence and belief. While Molly is completing just her first season as a Terrier, we could not be prouder of the tremendous impact she has already made in our program and to her teammates."
 
Privett, a junior from Huntsville, Alabama, becomes the third recipient of the Ann Lashley Inspiration Award in program history. She is the first since Jamari McDavid in 2021. Privett has displayed her strength and courage over the course of three seasons' worth of injuries holding her on the sidelines. Two major knee injuries and surgeries kept her off the court for both her senior season of high school and freshman collegiate season. Privett was set for her debut as a sophomore, but another injury to the other knee in the preseason cost her that campaign as well. Through it all, Privett never wavered, displaying her strength and perseverance as she rehabbed and trained to get back on the court. She served as a leader on the bench and an inspiration to her teammates, and after three long seasons Privett finally returned to action this year. Though a junior, Privett has made the most of her first season of collegiate play, posting 5.8 points per game with 83 rebounds. She shoots 33.1 percent overall and 31.3 percent from three, adding a 77.8 percent clip at the stripe. She has 14 steals and 21 assists in her 22 games of play with nine starts.
 
"It is hard to put into words to describe the incredible impact Libby has made to not only our program, but to our entire Wofford community," said Garrity. "I know I can speak for everyone involved that one of the true highlights of this season has been watching Libby compete, succeed, and make a big difference on the court each practice and game. As I wrote in my nomination for this award, '… to say Libby is a role model and continuously gives inspiration to others may not be a strong enough description to portray the incredible impact she has had on everyone around her. Libby has led us every single day with her unwavering faith, strength, enthusiasm, and perseverance.' Libby's perspective, fight, and continuous support of her teammates and this program has been incredible as she provides such a bright light for us all. We are so proud of what she has overcome and accomplished! The Ann Lashley Inspiration Award honors a player who uses grace, perseverance, dedication, and determination while serving as a role model offering hope and inspiration to others, and there could not be a better description to portray Libby Privett."
 
The Terriers will now set their sights on the SoCon Tournament, which begins on Thursday, March 6 in Asheville, North Carolina. Wofford is the No. 4 seed and will open against No. 5 Samford with tip-off slated for 5:45 p.m. as the fourth game of the opening round.