March 24, 2008

IRVING, Texas - Conference USA has two women's basketball players on the 2008 State Farm Coaches' All-America Finalist Team as announced by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Senior guards Diamond Rogers of UAB and UTEP's Natasha Lacy are two of 52 regional finalists for All-America honors.

The 52 finalists will be narrowed down to 40, from which the 10-member All-America Team will be selected from on April 5 at the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four in Tampa, Fla.

Rogers led the Blazers in almost every category during the 2007-08 season, including points, rebounds, assists and blocks. She averaged a league-high 16.9 ppg, while also adding 8.3 rpg, 3.2 apg and 16 blocks. This marks Rogers' second postseason honor of the year, having been named to the All-C-USA first team as well.

Lacy, C-USA Newcomer of the Year, currently has her team in the second round of the NCAA Championship after eliminating Western Kentucky, 92-60, in the opening round action Saturday. The El Paso native leads C-USA in steals per game, pocketing 3.23 per game as well as averaging 5.5 assists per game. The All-C-USA second team pick also contributes 13.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg.

2008 STATE FARM COACHES' ALL-AMERICA REGIONAL FINALISTS
Region 1
Matee Ajavon, Rutgers
Kimberly Beck, George Washington
Essence Carson, Rutgers
Tina Charles, Connecticut
Angel McCoughtry, Louisville
Renee Montgomery, Connecticut
Maya Moore, Connecticut
Epiphanny Prince, Rutgers
Olayinka Sanni, West Virginia
Marcedes Walker, Pittsburgh

Region 2
Chante Black, Duke
Crystal Langhorne, Maryland
Erlana Larkins, North Carolina
LaToya Pringle, North Carolina
Kristi Toliver, Maryland
Khadijah Whittington, North Carolina State
Monica Wright, Virginia

Region 3
Alex Anderson, UT-Chattanooga
DeWanna Bonner, Auburn
Sylvia Fowles, LSU
Alexis Hornbuckle, Tennessee
Tasha Humphrey, Georgia
Candace Parker, Tennessee
Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt

Region 4
Kate Achter, Bowling Green
Tiera DeLaHoussaye, Western Michigan
Amanda Jackson, Miami (OH)
Lauren Kohn, Ohio
Natasha Lacy, UTEP
Diamond Rogers, UAB

Region 5
Danielle Gant, Texas A&M
Amber Holt, Middle Tennessee State
Crystal Kelly, Western Kentucky
Shalee Lehning, Kansas State
Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
Andrea Riley, Oklahoma State
Takia Starks, Texas A&M
Angela Tisdale, Baylor

Region 6
Jolene Anderson, Wisconsin
Kristi Cirone, Illinois State
Jantel Lavender, Ohio State
Jenna Smith, Illinois
Kristi Smith, Iowa

Region 7
Natalie Doma, Idaho State
Leilani Mitchell, Utah
Mandy Morales, Montana
Hanna Zavecz, Wyoming

Region 8
Jayne Appel, Stanford
Devanei Hampton, California, Berkeley
Ashley Walker, California, Berkeley
Candice Wiggins, Stanford