The Sun Conference Women’s Basketball All-Conference Teams Announced
LAKE WALES, Fla. – The 15 members of the 2011 women’s basketball All-Sun Conference team were announced at the conference tournament Final Four banquet hosted by Warner on Thursday. Regular season champion St. Thomas had three All-Conference selections and three special award winners, while Florida Memorial and Ave Maria had three All-Conference honorees each. Florida Memorial garnered two of the top honors as head coach Kenneth Marshall was selected as the Coach of the Year and Sudanne Stewart garnered Player of the Year honors.
Marshall is in his 32nd season as the head coach of the Florida Memorial program. Marshall led the Lady Lions to a third-place finish in the regular season race at 19-10 overall and 10-4 in the conference. Florida Memorial advanced to the conference tournament semifinals with a 97-76 win over Webber International on Tuesday.
A repeat first-team performer from last season, Stewart ranks among the top five in the league in scoring (4th, 15.8 ppg), field goal percentage (4th, .403) and assists (4th, 3.9). The senior from Miami, Fla. achieved a milestone earlier this season as her 21 points against Northwood on Jan. 29, 2011 helped put her over the 1,000-point mark for her career.
St. Thomas senior Brittney Owens took home Defensive Player of the Year honors. Touted by Lady Bobcat head coach Robin Harmony as the best defender on the team, Owens has helped St. Thomas to No. 5 national rating in scoring defense, holding teams to just 56 points per game. She is averaging 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
Owens’ teammate Maddie Cummings garnered Newcomer of the Year honors after transferring to St. Thomas from Brevard Community College. She currently ranks third nationally in total three-point field goals made (94) and fourth in three-pointers per contest (3.2) and is averaging 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game.
Another Lady Bobcat, Dannisha Pierce, was tabbed as the Freshman of the Year. The New Haven, Conn. native had an impressive debut season as she emerged as the Lady Bobcats’ leader in scoring (15.4 ppg), rebounding (7.6 rpg) and steals (2.6 spg). She also ranks among the nation’s top 50 in field goal percentage (31st, .499), steals per game (32nd) and total steals (38th, 70).
The 2011 Champions of Character award was presented to Warner senior Candace Smith. In addition to he role as team co-captain where she averaged 15.8 points and 6.4 rebounds, Smith also found time to give back to the community. She organized and obtained sponsorship for a summer youth basketball program, taught church classes at least once a month and prepares meals for the elderly. She is also a volunteer with the Light the Night Orlando and Big Brother/Big Sister programs and in addition to hosting a staff member with health issues for Thanksgiving, Smith bought a flight home for Christmas for a student who hadn’t seen her family in two years.
St. Thomas, Ave Maria, Florida Memorial and Warner will be in action on Friday evening when they compete in The Sun Conference tournament Final Four. Second-seeded Ave Maria will face No. 3 Florida Memorial at 5 p.m. followed by top-seeded St. Thomas against host Warner at 7 p.m. The tournament champion receives an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament Sioux City, Iowa, Mar. 9-15.
First Team
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Sudanne Stewart (FMU)
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Sr.
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C
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(15.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.1 spg)
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Maddie Cummings (STU)
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Jr.
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G
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(14.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.9 spg)
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Emily Huber (AMU)
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So.
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G
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(17.1 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.8 spg)
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Nikki King (WIU)
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Sr.
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C
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(20.1 ppg, 15 rpg, 1.9 sspg, 1.9 bpg)
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Nickerline Montina (STU)
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Jr.
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F
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(12.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.7 spg)
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Dannisha Pierce (STU)
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Fr.
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F
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(15.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.6 spg)
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Candace Smith (WU)
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Sr.
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F
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(15.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.6 apg)
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Second Team
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Dominique Butler (FMU)
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Jr.
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F
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(9.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
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Shawnelle Campbell (WU)
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Jr.
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G
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(11.3 ppg, 5.5 rppg, 4.4 apg, 1.4 spg)
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Daniella Howard (FMU)
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Sr.
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C
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(10.8 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.2 spg
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Sandy Jenkins (AMU)
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Jr.
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F
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(11.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.1 spg)
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Amy Myler (AMU)
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So.
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F
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(9 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 spg)
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Erin Riley (NU)
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Fr.
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F
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(12.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 apg)
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Keishla Rivera (NU)
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Jr.
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G
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(13.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.7 apg, 2.6 spg)
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Victoria Robison (SEU)
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Jr.
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G
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(11.1 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.2 apg)
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Player of the Year
Sudanne Stewart, Florida Memorial
Defensive Player of the Year
Brittney Owens, St. Thomas
Freshman of the Year
Dannisha Pierce, St. Thomas
Newcomer of the Year
Maddie Cummings, St. Thomas
Champions of Character Award
Candace Smith, Warner
Coach of the Year
Kenneth Marshall, Florida Memorial