MAC Announces Women's Basketball Post Season Award Winners
Cleveland, Ohio -- The Mid-American Conference announced today the 2010 MAC Women's Basketball post season awards. Highlighting the awards were the MAC Coach, Player and Freshman of the Year.
University of Akron head coach Jodi Kest was named MAC Coach of the Year by her peers and select members of the MAC Media. In just four seasons, Kest, who inherited a program that had won an average of four games per season in the six years prior to her arrival, has elevated the Akron program to unprecedented heights, culminating with this winter's record-setting campaign. UA set highs for overall wins (17), league wins (11) and home wins (11) in 2009-10 and is currently working on the best defensive season in school history. Akron held its opponents to an average of 59.1 points per game during the regular season, which is nearly five full points better than the current record, and would also rank as the third-best single-season mark in MAC history.
"What Jodi has been able to accomplish in her four years at Akron has been nothing short of amazing," said Akron Director of Athletics, Tom Wistrcill. "In a short time, she has transformed a program that had struggled mightily in the past into a championship-caliber team. And most importantly, she's done it the right way; with discipline, a commitment to defense and a sincere devotion to the success of her student-athletes on and off the court."
Claiming Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season is Lauren Prochaska of Bowling Green State University. Prochaska leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, with 17.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Prochaska, who has paced the Falcons in scoring 16 times this season, leads the MAC in three-point field-goal percentage (.447) and ranks second in free-throw pct. (.899) and third in both scoring and three-pointers made per game (2.67). She had 17.4 ppg and 5.5 rpg in MAC games this season. Prochaska has hit a school-record 80 three-pointers this season, and also holds the school's career record, with 229. Just a junior, she already ranks fourth on the BGSU career scoring list, with 1,619 points in 98 games. Prochaska is averaging 16.5 ppg, the second-highest average in school history, in her collegiate career.
"The entire BGSU program is excited about Lauren being named the MAC Player of the Year," said head coach Curt Miller. "She has been our leader at both ends of the floor, and continues to compile impressive statistics despite being the center of attention for all of our opponents. Lauren is the most unselfish superstar that I have worked with during my 20 years of collegiate coaching."
MAC Freshman of the Year honors went to Miami University's Courtney Osborn. Osborn has had not just the best freshman season in Miami history, but one of the best seasons overall in school history. She has been the RedHawks' leading scorer in 17 of the team's 30 contests, while averaging an impressive 16.8 points per game. The 503 points she has scored through 30 games ranks fifth on the Miami single-season scoring list. Her career high in points came against Buffalo on Jan. 6 when she recorded the 19th 30-point effort in RedHawk history. That performance featured 11-for-17 shooting, including 5-for-8 from the three-point line. She has 71 three-point baskets, which leads the team and ranks fifth on the Miami single-season list. She also leads the team with 74 steals, which is just outside the top-10 on the RedHawk single-season list.
"Courtney is a great player," said head coach Maria Fantanarosa. "She is hard working, competitive and a student of the game. She has taken on a lot of responsibility as a freshman point guard and has led our team on both ends of the court. This is a good honor for Courtney and a positive sign for the future of our program."
Kourtney Brown of Buffalo was named Defensive Player of the Year. Brown finished the season 17.8 points and 11.5 rebounds to lead the MAC in that category. Throughout the season, Brown was in the six in the nation in rebounding, setting the UB school record for single-season rebounds with 346 and places third in MAC history. Brown led the league with 63 blocked shots, second in school history.
Claiming the final MAC Specialty Award was Akron freshman Rachel Tecca. Tecca was named Sixth Player of the Year after appearing in every game for the Zips as a true freshman. Tecca is second on the team in scoring (10.4) and rebounding (6.1) despite averaging just 22.5 minutes a game. Tecca, who has reached double digits in scoring 15 times, has led the Zips in scoring seven times and rebounding six times as the first option off the bench. In all, Tecca has posted three double-doubles on the campaign and eclipsed the 20-point barrier for scoring four times this season with a high of 26 at Bowling Green in January. She is the first Akron player to receive MAC Sixth Player of the Year honors.
Joining Prochaska and Brown on the All-MAC First Team were Tavelyn James (Eastern Michigan), Jamilah Humes (Kent State) and Tanika Mays (Toledo). James leads the league averaging 20.6 ppg. and was most recently named MAC West Player of the Week after scoring 40 points in EMU's final regular season game. Humes ranks first on KSU's team averaging 29.4 mpg. and 3.9 assists. Mays leads the Rockets scoring 15.1 ppg. and 7.4 rpg.
Being named to the All-MAC Second Team were Kara Murphy (Akron), Emily Maggert (Ball State), Tracy Pontius (Bowling Green), Marke Freeman (Northern Illinois) and Naama Shafir (Toledo).
Leading the All-MAC Third Team was Osborn. She was joined by were Britni Houghton (Central Michigan), Shonda Long (Central Michigan), Kaihla Szunko (Central Michigan) and Taisja Jones (Kent State).
Capturing All-MAC Honorable Mention was Kyle Baumgartner (Akron), Audrey McDonald (Ball State), Jennifer Bushby (Ohio), Melissa Goodall (Toledo) and Miame Giden (Western Michigan).
Joining Tecca and Osborn on the All-Freshman team were Abby Dowd (Buffalo), Rachel Mauk (Central Michigan) and Kirsten Olowinski (Miami).
The 2010 MAC Women's Basketball Tournament continues Wednesday, March 10 as the team's head to Cleveland for the Quarterfinals. Games get underway at 12:00 p.m.
Player of the Year - Lauren Prochaska, Bowling Green
Freshman of the Year - Courtney Osborn, Miami
Sixth Player of the Year - Rachel Tecca, Akron
Defensive Player of the Year - Kourtney Brown, Buffalo
Coach of the Year - Jodi Kest, Akron
First Team
Lauren Prochaska, Bowling Green
Kourtney Brown, Buffalo
Tavelyn James, Eastern Michigan
Jamilah Humes, Kent State
Tanika Mays, Toledo
Second Team
Kara Murphy, Akron
Emily Maggert, Ball State
Tracy Pontius, Bowling Green
Marke Freeman, Northern Illinois
Naama Shafir, Toledo
Third Team
Britni Houghton, Central Michigan
Shonda Long, Central Michigan
Kaihla Szunko, Central Michigan
Taisja Jones, Kent State
Courtney Osborn, Miami
Honorable Mention
Kyle Baumgartner, Akron
Audrey McDonald, Ball State
Jennifer Bushby, Ohio
Melissa Goodall, Toledo
Miame Giden, Western Michigan
All-Freshman
Rachel Tecca, Akron
Abby Dowd , Buffalo, Guard
Rachel Mauk, Central Michigan
Kirsten Olowinski, Miami
Courtney Osborn, Miami
