Collier, Williams, KLS, Nurse 1st Team AAC, Azura 2nd, Crystal 3rd

[bschwartz]

PoY, CoY and SoY (Scholar) announced tomorrow 9am on YT.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference announced its annual women’s basketball awards to cap the 2017-18 regular season and kick off the Aaron’s American Women’s Basketball Championship at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. March 3-6.

UConn senior Kia Nurse has been selected as the Defensive Player of the Year, while teammate Azurá Stevens earned both Sixth Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year accolades. Temple senior Tanaya Atkinson was named the Most Improved Player of the Year, while SMU’s McKenzie Adams earned the conference’s Ambassador Award.

Nurse has spearheaded The American’s most dominant defense, as UConn led the conference in scoring defense (52.8 PPG), rebounding defense (31.7 RPG), scoring margin (+37.4) and blocks (5.2 per game). Individually, Nurse owns 38 steals on the season, including a season-high five on Feb. 21 at Tulane, and averages 14.5 points per game on 54.4 percent from the field. The senior ranks fourth nationally and second in The American with her 47.4 3-point field goal percentage.

Stevens earns two honors following her first year on the court for the Huskies. She ranks 12th in the conference in scoring (14.6 points per game) and ninth in rebounding (7.3 points per game) while sitting second in field-goal percentage (60.3). The transfer from Duke surpassed the 1,000 career point mark with a season-high 25 points against Michigan State on Nov. 25 and was named the American Player of the Week this past Tuesday, Feb. 27.

Atkinson evolved into a prolific scorer during her senior season after earning Sixth Player of the Year honors last year. The senior led the conference in scoring during the regular season, averaging 21.0 points per game and setting a single-game conference record on Jan. 31 with 17 made field goals. Additionally, she was the league’s second-best rebounder (9.3 rebounds per game) and collected the league’s second-highest double-doubles total (16).

Adams earns the conference’s Ambassador Award, recognized for reflecting the ideals of sportsmanship on the court – ethical behavior, fair play and integrity - along with community service off the court. The honor caps a remarkable career for Adams, who is averaging a career-best 16.6 points per game to rank eighth in the conference. After earning her bachelor’s degree from SMU in December, she is currently pursuing a Master of Liberal Studies.

USF earns the Team Academic Excellence Award, honoring the conference team with the highest cumulative grade point average. The Bulls boast a 3.5 team GPA as 2018 marks the third-consecutive year USF has garnered the honor.

The 2018 American All-Conference and All-Freshman teams feature 24 student-athletes from 11 institutions, voted upon by the league’s 12 head coaches. The First Team is highlighted by four selections from regular-season champion UConn, including unanimous selection Katie Lou Samuelson.

The American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Coach of the Year will be announced at the annual awards press conference on Saturday, March 3 at 9 a.m. at Mohegan Sun’s Caberet Theater. The event will be live streamed at www.youtube.com/americanathleticconf.

2018 American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Regular Season Awards

Defensive Player of the Year
Kia Nurse, Sr., G, UConn

Most Improved Player of the Year
Tanaya Atkinson, Sr., G, Temple

Sixth Player of the Year
Azurá Stevens, Jr., F, UConn

Ambassador Award
McKenzie Adams, Sr., G, SMU

Newcomer of the Year
Azurá Stevens, Jr., F, UConn

Team Academic Excellence Award
USF

First Team All-Conference
Napheesa Collier, Jr., F, UConn
Kia Nurse, Sr., G, UConn
Katie Lou Samuelson, Jr., G, UConn*
Gabby Williams, Sr., F, UConn
Maria Jespersen, Sr., F, USF
Kitija Laksa, Jr., G, USF
Tanaya Atkinson, Sr., G, Temple

Second Team All-Conference
Zakiya Saunders, Sr., G, UCF
Azurá Stevens, Jr., F, UConn
Jasmyne Harris, So., G, Houston
Kolby Morgan, Sr., G, Tulane
Rangie Bessard, R-Sr., G, Wichita State

Third Team All-Conference
Ana Owens, Sr., G, Cincinnati
Crystal Dangerfield, So., G, UConn
Angela Harris, So., G, Houston
Cheyenne Creighton, Sr., F, Memphis
Brea Elmore, Sr., G, Memphis
McKenzie Adams, Sr., G, SMU

All-Freshman Team
Masseny Kaba, Fr., F, UCF
IImar’I Thomas, Fr., F, Cincinnati*
Lashonda Monk, Fr., G, ECU
Ariana Whitfield, Fr., G, SMU
Mia Davis, Fr., F, Temple*
Emani Mayo, Fr., G, Temple

*denotes unanimous selection

Ties are not broken

 

[bballnut90]

Pretty surprised more players weren’t unanimous like Nurse, Williams and Laksa. Congrats to the winners.

 

[Mister2]

I'm actually quite confused by the sizes of the 3 teams: 7 for 1st, 5 for 2nd, and 6 for 3rd. Is it because of ties?

 

[victor64]

Would anybody take any of those six freshmen over Megan?

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I'm actually quite confused by the sizes of the 3 teams: 7 for 1st, 5 for 2nd, and 6 for 3rd. Is it because of ties?

I bet there were ties for 1st team...thus 7... and they say "ties not broken"

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I think Lou is POY in AAC.

 

[choochoo]

I'm actually quite confused by the sizes of the 3 teams: 7 for 1st, 5 for 2nd, and 6 for 3rd. Is it because of ties?

yes it says it at the bottom of page.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

IS newcomer of the year in place of the freshman of the year? Remember when Maya won both?
Megan is hopefully going to be a great player, but I agree that she did not do what was needed to be on the list. I hope next season she is most improved and 1st team....

 

[SVCBeercats]

Would anybody take any of those six freshmen over Megan?

Yes, absolutely. The four below had a much better season. And they had to play UCONN which negatively impacted their stats. Meg was not close. Meg also probably didn't have sufficient minutes to qualify.
Masseny Kaba, Fr., F, UCF
IImar’I Thomas, Fr., F, Cincinnati
Mia Davis, Fr., F, Temple*
Emani Mayo, Fr., G, Temple

 

[MilfordHusky]

Meg missed too much action. I think some coaches didn’t see her at all.

Next year, I expect at least one Husky on the All-Freshman team. Maybe two. Or even three.

 

[victor64]

Yes, absolutely. The four below had a much better season. And they had to play UCONN which negatively impacted their stats. Meg was not close. Meg also probably didn't have sufficient minutes to qualify.
Masseny Kaba, Fr., F, UCF
IImar’I Thomas, Fr., F, Cincinnati
Mia Davis, Fr., F, Temple*
Emani Mayo, Fr., G, Temple

They didn't have to play for Geno and his expectations. I'll take Meg.

 

[Kaizen]

Would anybody take any of those six freshmen over Megan?

I personally think Megan is better than those six but under Geno very few freshmen can play big at their first year, except Maya, Breanna.

 

[Vowelguy]

Would anybody take any of those six freshmen over Megan?

These are *performance* awards.

 

[DEpup]

Exactly! Talent for Meg and Makayla for that matter is not in question but performance has been.

 

[DEpup]

So happy for Z. I hope this gives her confidence and she is just a beast during the tournament.

 

[Goodgood]

They didn't have to play for Geno and his expectations. I'll take Meg.

They didn't have to play behind a bunch of all-Everything players, and 6 of them.

 

[Goodgood]

Didn't mention that Kia also made first team in the title. I was a little upset that she she wasn't even on the second or third team as well until I read further down...

 

[VAMike23]

I think CD if healthy all season makes 2nd team, and she is surely talented enough for 1st !

Fingers crossed for next season and her good health. Between her bball IQ and floor leadership on one hand and superlative gifts on the other, she should be 1st team AAC for sure and hopefully All American next year. She is the real deal

 

[Sonny44]

I didn't see 4-5 guards better than Crystal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Pretty surprised more players weren’t unanimous like Nurse, Williams and Laksa. Congrats to the winners.

I must be the only one who doesn't get all the Laksa love.

 

[geneticrex]

I didn't see 4-5 guards better than Crystal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't see 2 better guards, or a single better point.

 

[Golden Husky]

Earning first team All-AAC and conference defensive player of the year honors burnishes Kia's All-America credentials, right?

 

[Boreifs]

I must be the only one who doesn't get all the Laksa love.[/QUOTE

Maybe you are the only one who didn’t see the Ohio State game.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I saw it, but I'm not forming an opinion on her based on one high scoring game against a team that doesn't even pretend to play defense.

She's a one-dimensional player who shoots 40%.

 

[Goodgood]

I must be the only one who doesn't get all the Laksa love.

I guess when teams changed their defense just to neutralize a single player, that player must be pretty good.