2007 C-USA Women's Basketball Top Honors
Feb. 28, 2007 IRVING, Texas - After leading UAB to one of its best seasons in seven years, senior guard Carmen Guzman was voted the Conference USA Player of the Year, the league office announced Wednesday. Tulsa's Jillian Robbins was voted the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year and UTEP's Jareica Hughes earned C-USA Freshman and Newcomer of Year honors. Guzman's teammate, Britney Jones, captured the league's Sixth Player of the Year award. After leading Tulane to a conference championship, Green Wave coach Lisa Stockton was named the C-USA Coach of the Year. C-USA women's basketball coaches, sports information directors and selected media members participated in the voting. Guzman, who led the league in scoring for most of the season, averaged 21.6 points per game while shooting 35.6 percent from 3-point range and dishing out 90 assists and pocketing 63 steals. The 5-9 sharpshooter from New York scored her 1,500th career point this season and scored at least 20 points in 19 of 28 games. It's the first time a UAB player has won the award since Deanna Jackson captured the honor in 2001 after the Blazers finished league play with a 10-6 record and 20-11 overall. Robbins, a 6-1 senior from Spring, Texas, will finish her career as one of the best players in Tulsa women's history. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year and two-time All-C-USA first teamer, holds a slew of school records, including points (2,071), rebounds (1,292) and field goals (732) and led the league in steals per game (3.32). Tulsa officials also retired Robbins' No. 14 jersey during a ceremony on Feb. 17. UTEP coaches had high hopes for Hughes, a 5-3 guard from Southfield, Mich. She thrived on a team with proven veterans. Hughes averaged 12.7 points per game and shot 38.3 percent from 3-point range. She was also third in the league in assists per game (5.15) and assist to turnover ratio (1.76). Hughes also finished second in league play in steals per game (3.21). Being the sixth player is one of the toughest roles in basketball. Jones, a 5-7 sophomore from Chicago, gave UAB a consistent spark off the bench. She averaged 9.7 points in 28 games this year and had 51 steals and 72 assists. Jones had several strong games down the stretch. She finished in double figures in five of UAB's seven games in February. Stockton led Tulane to its first 20-win season since 2002 and its first outright regular-season conference. The Green Wave shared the crown in 1997 and 1999. The Green Wave were picked to finish sixth in the preseason polls, but a 10-game winning streak in league play helped Tulane garner Top 25 votes this season. Stockton is 264-125 in 13 seasons at Tulane. 2006-07 Conference USA Women's Basketball Awards Defensive Player of the Year Newcomre of the Year Freshman of the Year Player of the Year Coach of the Year
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
