Photo Courtesy: UCA Athletics (Bradley Widding)
Photo Courtesy: UCA Athletics (Bradley Widding)
KATY, Texas (SOUTHLAND) - Central Arkansas senior forward Megan Herbert has been named the 2012-13 Southland Conference Women's Basketball player of the Year by a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Monday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference basketball teams.
Additionally, Sam Houston State forward Sequeena Thomas earned defensive player of the year honors, Northwestern State freshman guard Janelle Perez was tabbed the league's top freshman and McNeese State forward Cecilia Okoye was named the newcomer of the year. Sam Houston coach Brenda Welch-Nicholls was named the Southland Coach of the Year.
Herbert, a native of Rogers, Ark. (Shiloh Christian H.S.), is the only Central Arkansas player to be selected as the Southland player of the year, having won the award each year since 2011. She is only the second player in conference history to win player of the year honors at least three times, joining Eun Jung Lee, who won the honor all four years (1983-86), while at Louisiana-Monroe. She becomes one of only four players to earn first-team all-conference honors all four years, joining the likes of Southland legends Lee, Lisa Ingram (Louisiana-Monroe, 1983-86) and Joskeen Garner (Northwestern State, 1993-96).
Herbert will enter the tournament as the top rebounder and second-best scorer in Southland history among players who spent their entire careers in the league. Herbert, who also has a league-best 83 double-doubles in her career, has 1,435 rebounds and 2,307 points for her career, making her only one of nine Division I basketball players with 2,300 points and 1,400 rebounds.
Additionally, she enters the tournament just six rebounds shy of having the 10th-most in NCAA women's basketball history. Herbert also holds the Southland marks with 670 free throws made in her career. This season, Herbert leads the conference in scoring with 19.7 points per game overall and 21.3 points per game during Southland games. Twice this season, she scored 35 in league games, the highest mark among all players in Southland play. Herbert also ranked among the conference's top 10 this season in five other categories, including offensive rebounding (first, 4.9), total rebounding (second, 11.6), free-throw percentage (third, .838), minutes played (fourth, 35.5) and field goal percentage (ninth, .455)
Thomas led Sam Houston State to its first-ever Southland regular-season title. Thomas, the senior from Allentown, Pa. (Parkview H.S.), led the league in rebounding with 12.5 rebounds per conference game, including 9.4 defensive rebounds per league game. She registered 1.3 blocks per contest and recorded a league-best 19 double-doubles. Thomas finished the regular season with 371 rebounds including a conference-best 20-rebound performance in a win against Oral Roberts in January. Thomas is the first Sam Houston player to earn defender of the year honors.
Perez led Northwestern State in assists (3.4 per game), free throw percentage (.809) and 3-point field goal percentage (.366). She was also the best among freshmen in assists and 3-point shooting and second in free throws. The El Paso, Texas (Horizon H.S.), native, was the conference's top scoring freshman, averaging 11.0 points per game, including 11.4 points per game in league play. Perez was the first freshman in three years to earn player of the week honors, being recognized the week of Feb. 11. She is the nation's leading freshman in minutes played, averaging 37.9 minutes per contest. Perez is the fifth Lady Demon to earn freshman of the year honors and the first since Demetria White in 2009.
Okoye made an immediate impact for McNeese State after transferring from Tyler Junior College. The junior forward from Mansfield, Texas (Mansfield H.S.) led the Cowgirls and was seventh in the Southland in rebounding, pulling down 7.1 boards per game. She also was the most consistent shooter for McNeese, making 49.8 percent from the floor while averaging 8.7 points per contest. Okoye led the team in blocks and notched one of the top-block performances this season in the Southland when she recorded four in a win against Ole Miss. Okoye is the third McNeese player to be named the league's newcomer of the of the year and the first since Tangela McAlister in 1992.
Welch-Nichols earned her first coach of the year award after guiding the Bearkats to their first overall South Conference regular-season championship. She is the second Sam Houston State coach to earn the award, joining Vic Schaefer, who was honored in 1996. The Bearkats enter this week's conference tournament with a 17-13 overall record and finished 13-5 during conference play. The Bearkats head into the tournament as the No. 2 seed and winners of four of their last five contests. Welch-Nicholls, who led the Bearkats to division titles in 2011 and 2012 before the conference did away with divisional play this season, is looking to guide Sam Houston to its second consecutive postseason trip after advancing to the quarterfinals of the Women's Basketball Invitational last year. Welch-Nichols, who is in her seventh season in Huntsville, has a 78-128 record at Sam Houston, including a 52-39 mark the last three seasons.
Herbert, who is the first four-time first-team all-conference selection in 17 years, is joined on the first team by a pair of three-time first-team selections, joining an elite group of only five other players. Lamar senior guard Kalis Loyd becomes the first Lady Cardinal to earn first-team recognition three times. Loyd is third in the conference in steals (2.4), fourth in scoring (17.8), sixth in rebounding (7.4) and 10th in assists (3.1). Sam Houston senior guard Britni Martin, who is the only Bearkat to be named to the first team multiple times, was selected to the first team for the third consecutive season. Martin leads the Bearkats in scoring with 16.2 points per game, which ranks fifth in the Southland. She ranks second in the league in 3-pointers made (2.5 per game), fourth in free throw percentage (.817) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4) and fifth in assists (4.2). Oral Roberts senior guard Kevi Luper earned first-team honors after being named the Summit League Player of the Year the last three seasons. Luper is the second-leading scoring in the Southland, averaging 18.8 points per game, and leads the league with 2.6 steals per game. Sam Houston's Thomas completes the first-team all-conference selections.
The second team was comprised of McNeese State senior guard Ashlyn Baggett (18.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.7 spg), Oral Roberts senior guard Jaci Bigham (12.4 ppg, 6.9 apg, 2.4 spg), McNeese senior guard Cailtyn Baggett (14.4 ppg, 4.6 apg, 1.5 spg), Stephen F. Austin sophomore center Porsha Roberts (14.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg) and Nicholls State senior forward Alisha Allen (15.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg). The third-team choices were Nicholls junior guard KK Babin (13.1 ppg, 5.0 apg, 1.8 spg), Central Arkansas junior center Courtney Duever (13.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg), Southeastern Louisiana junior forward Aja Gibson (10.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Northwestern State freshman Perez and Southeastern Louisiana senior forward Brandi Simmons (10.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg).
Four all-conference selections also highlight the five-member all-defensive team, including Thomas, the defensive player of the year. Other all-conference selections joining her on the all-defensive team are Lamar's Loyd, SFA's Roberts and ORU's Luper. Lamar senior guard Carenn Baylor earned all-defensive honors after playing a vital role on the conference's top-scoring defense. Baylor averaged 2.0 steals per game for the Lady Cardinals this season.
Nine conference teams placed at least one member on the all-conference teams with Sam Houston State, Oral Roberts, Nicholls State, McNeese State, Central Arkansas and Southeastern Louisiana each with two selections. Lamar, Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State had one all-league honoree. The Lady Cardinals were the only team to have two members earn all-defensive honors.
Seven all-conference players were also recognized last season. Herbert earned all-conference kudos for the fourth time overall, while Loyd, Martin, Thomas, Ashlyn Baggett and Caitlyn Baggett earned all-conference honors for the third time. KK Babin earns all-conference honors for the second consecutive season after being named to the second team last year. Additionally, five student-athletes were named honorable mention all-conference after receiving votes from at least 25 percent of the coaches and sports information directors.
The Southland Conference Basketball Tournament begins Wednesday at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. The first four games of the tournament will be streamed live for free on the Southland Conference Digital Network, including Southland.org and the league's iPhone and Android apps. The semifinals and championship game of the women's tournament will be available solely on ESPN3. Tickets for the tournament are available through Ticketmaster or at the Merrell Center box office.
2013 All-Southland Conference Women's Basketball Teams
First Team
Megan Herbert(4) Central Arkansas F Sr. Rogers, Ark.
Kalis Loyd (3) Lamar G Sr. Malmoe, Sweden
Kevi Luper Oral Roberts G Sr. Adair, Okla.
Sequeena Thomas (3) Sam Houston State F Sr. Allentown, Pa.
Britni Martin (3) Sam Houston State G Sr. Conroe, Texas
Second Team
Ashlyn Baggett (3) McNeese State G Sr. Iota, La.
Jaci Bigham Oral Roberts G Sr. McAlester, Okla.
Caitlyn Baggett (3) McNeese State G Sr. Iota, La.
Porsha Roberts Stephen F. Austin C So. Waco, Texas
Alisha Allen Nicholls State F Sr. Garland, Texas
Third Team
KK Babin (2) Nicholls State G Jr. Gonzales, La.
Courtney Duever Central Arkansas C Jr. Austin, Texas
Aja Gibson Southeastern Louisiana F Jr. Somerville, Tenn.
Janelle Perez Northwestern State G Fr. El Paso, Texas
Brandi Simmons Southeastern Louisiana F Sr. Jackson, Miss.
Honorable Mention: Gia Ayers, Lamar; Taylor Cooper, Oral Roberts; Cecilia Okoye, McNeese State; Chanice Smith, Sam Houston State; Sarah Shelton, Oral Roberts.
2013 Southland Conference Women's All-Defensive Team
Sequeena Thomas Sam Houston State F Sr. Allentown, Pa.
Kalis Loyd Lamar G Sr. Malmoe, Sweden
Porsha Roberts Stephen F. Austin C So. Waco, Texas
Kevi Luper Oral Roberts G Sr. Adair, Okla.
Carenn Baylor Lamar G Sr. Shreveport, La.
Individual Award Winners
Player of the Year: Megan Herbert, Central Arkansas
Newcomer of the Year: Cecilia Okoye, McNeese State
Freshman of the Year: Janelle Perez, Northwestern State
Defensive Player of the Year: Sequeena Thomas, Sam Houston State
Coach of the Year: Brenda Welch-Nichols, Sam Houston State
2 Two-Time All-Conference Selection
3 Three-Time All-Conference Selection
4 Four-Time All-Conference Selection