Birmingham, Ala.— When Delta State and West Alabama will face-off in the opening round of the Gulf South Conference women’s basketball tournament, it will feature a battle of the league’s Players of the Year.
Lady Statesmen forward Veronica Walker was named West Division Player of the Year for the second consecutive season while Tigers guard Mystee Dale grabbed the honor in the East Division. Joining the list of superlative honorees are Freshmen of the Year Jasmine Hammon of Alabama-Huntsville (East) and Kristen Celsor of Harding (West). Delta State’s Sandra Rushing was named West Division Coach of the Year while North Alabama’s Terry Fowler earned the honor in the East Division.
Arkansas Tech, winners of the West Division, and West Alabama each had a league-high three players selected to the All-GSC team. Five schools (Delta State, Harding, Alabama-Huntsville, North Alabama and Valdosta State) each had two players represented.
WEST DIVISION HONORS
Delta State’s Walker Wins Player of the Year
For the second consecutive season, Delta State forward Veronica Walker earned the West Division Player of the Year Award. Walker, who also was the West Division’s top freshman two seasons ago, dominated the paint this season for the Lady Statesmen. The junior from Indianola, Miss., leads the GSC in field goal percentage (.637), rebounds (9.8), blocked shots (60) and double-doubles (15). She is also third in scoring (18.3) and fourth in free throw percentage (80.5). She was named West Division Player of the Week three times this season – tied for the most this season.
Harding’s Celsor Named Freshman of the Year
Playing collegiate not far from where she played her high school ball, Harding forward Kristen Celsor performed well enough to be named the West Division Freshman of the Year. The Searcy, Ark. native played in all 26 games for the Lady Bisons, starting 20 of them. Her 7.9 points per game was third on the team and she was second on the team in rebounds per game (5.3) and blocked shots (18).
Delta State’s Rushing Earns Coach of the Year
For the sixth consecutive season, nine-year Delta State head coach Sandra Rushing has been named Coach of the Year. Rushing led the Lady Statesmen to a 24-2 mark, 12-2 in GSC play, and a second place finish in the West Division standing. DSU has been ranked No. 1 nationally this season, never lower than No. 5 in the country, and is currently the top-ranked team in the South Region rankings.
EAST DIVISION HONORS
West Alabama’s Dale Grabs East Division Player of the Year
Mystee Dale will play just one season in the Gulf South Conference, but it was certainly spectacular as the West Alabama guard snared the East Division Player of the Year Award. The senior from Laurel, Miss., is second in the nation and tops in the GSC in scoring average (21.2 points). Dale also leads the GSC in free throw percentage (.869) while placing in the top-10 in the conference in rebounds (7.7, 9th), assists (3.8, t-5th), field goal percentage (.517, 7th), steals (2.5, 5th), 3-point field goal percentage (.388, 7th), assist-turnover ratio (1.6, 3rd) and minutes played (34.5, 4th). She was named East Division Player of the Week a league-high six times, including a five-week stretch were she won the award.
Alabama-Huntsville’s Hammon Earns Freshman of the Year
Alabama-Huntsvilleguard Jasmine Hammon was a force to be reckoned with during her first season with the Lady Chargers and was named the East Division Freshman of the Year. The Muscle Shoals, Ala. native started all 26 contests for Alabama-Huntsville, finishing second in the GSC in scoring (18.7 points), 10th in rebounds (7.5), seventh in blocked shots (30) and sixth in minutes played (32.7). She also led UAH in steals (1.88 per game) and drained 30 percent of her shots from behind the 3-point arc and connected on 72 percent of her free throws.
North Alabama’s Fowler Named Coach of the Year
For the first time in his career, North Alabama head coach Terry Fowler has been named East Division Coach of the Year. The Lions, champions of the East Division, currently sport the GSC’s longest winning streak at 13 games. UNA rolled through conference play with its first undefeated campaign (12-0) and has gone 21-5 this season. Fowler is in his fifth year at the UNA helm.
2010-11 ALL-GSC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FIRST TEAM
EAST DIVISION
|
Pos
|
Player
|
School
|
Year
|
Hometown
|
|
G
|
Mystee Dale
|
UWA
|
Sr.
|
Laurel, Miss.
|
|
G
|
Jordan Smith
|
UAH
|
Fr.
|
Hoover, Ala.
|
|
G
|
Sczeny Hartry
|
VSU
|
Jr.
|
Lilburn, Ga.
|
|
F
|
Niala Harris*
|
UNA
|
Sr.
|
Chattanooga, Tenn.
|
|
F
|
Jasmine Hammon
|
UAH
|
Fr.
|
Muscle Shoals, Ala.
|
East Division Freshman of the Year—Jasmine Hammon, Alabama-Huntsville
East Division Players of the Year— Mystee Dale, West Alabama
Coach of the Year—Terry Fowler, North Alabama
WEST DIVISION
|
Pos
|
Player
|
School
|
Year
|
Hometown
|
|
F
|
Veronica Walker*
|
DSU
|
Jr.
|
Indianola, Miss.
|
|
F
|
Natalia Santos*
|
ATU
|
Jr.
|
Sao Paulo, Brazil
|
|
G
|
Sarita “Bug’ Cooper*
|
DSU
|
Sr.
|
Indianola, Miss.
|
|
G
|
Sierra Rollins
|
HU
|
Jr.
|
Angleton, Tex.
|
|
G
|
A’Laeshia Adams
|
OBU
|
Jr.
|
Little Rock, Ark.
|
West Division Freshman of the Year— Kristen Celsor, Harding
West Division Player of the Year— Veronica Walker, Delta State
Coach of the Year—Sandra Rushing, Delta State
2010-11 ALL-GSC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SECOND TEAM
EAST DIVISION
|
Pos
|
Player
|
School
|
Year
|
Hometown
|
|
G
|
Sanqueeta Meardith
|
UNA
|
Sr.
|
Shannon, Miss.
|
|
G
|
LaShandra McCoy
|
UWA
|
Sr.
|
Decatur, Ala.
|
|
G
|
Sher’Ryan Scott
|
UWF
|
Jr.
|
Fort Deposit, Ala.
|
|
F
|
Brittany Ferguson
|
VSU
|
Jr.
|
Macon, Ga.
|
|
F
|
Latashia Greer*
|
UWA
|
Sr.
|
Dadeville, Ala.
|
|
C
|
Monica Williams
|
UWG
|
Jr.
|
Horn Lake, Miss.
|
WEST DIVISION
|
Pos
|
Player
|
School
|
Year
|
Hometown
|
|
G
|
Jenny Vining*
|
ATU
|
Sr.
|
Marshall, Ark.
|
|
G
|
Alex Hart
|
UAM
|
Jr.
|
Thurnhill, Ontario
|
|
G
|
Bailey St. Clair
|
HU
|
Sr.
|
Lubbock, Texas
|
|
F
|
Jessica Weatherford
|
ATU
|
So.
|
Bonnerdale, Ark.
|
|
F
|
Cha’Kia Lee
|
SAU
|
Sr.
|
Springhill, Ark.
|
* 2009-10 All-GSC First Team selection
GSC head coaches voted for All-Conference honors. Ties were not broken.