ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Carson-Newman women's basketball team had three players earn All-South Atlantic Conference honors, league officials announced Friday.
Senior guard Mandy Mendenhall (Kingston Springs, Tenn.) was named to the first team, while junior forward Zoriah Williams (Calera, Ala.) garnered second team honors and freshman forward Shannon Depew (Newport, Tenn.) was named Freshman of the Year and made the All-Freshman team.
Mendenhall finished the regular season ranked in the top 10 in the conference in points per game (15.7), assists per game (2.93), free throw percentage (.852), steals per game (2.03), 3-point percentage (.416) and 3-point field goals made per game (1.45).
Williams was 10th in the league in scoring this season with an average of 12.6 points per game. She also ranked second in rebounds per game (9.9) and field goal percentage (.551).
Depew burst onto the scene this season, averaging 9.6 point and seven rebounds per game. She was also a force on the defensive end as she led the SAC with an average of two blocked shots per game. As a team, the Lady Eagles led the conference with 3.93 blocks per game.
Tusculum senior guard Jasmine Gunn was named Women's Player of the Year, while Lenoir-Rhyne coach Todd Starkey earned Coach of the Year honors and Mars Hill's Brittini Young earned SAC Scholar-Athlete honors.
The 2011 Food Lion SAC women's basketball semifinals are Saturday at Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory, N.C. The women's award winners will be recognized after the Noon contest between Tusculum and Newberry on Saturday. The Lady Eagles are set to face second-seeded Wingate on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
The championship game is set for Sunday. The tournament winner receives an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament.
ALL-SAC FIRST TEAM
Mandy Mendenhall, Carson-Newman
Dana Hicks, Catawba
Cameron Sealey, Lenoir-Rhyne
Brittini Young, Mars Hill
Helen McKinney, Newberry
Jasmine Gunn, Tusculum
Kurie Washington, Wingate
ALL-SAC SECOND TEAM
Ashley Abed, Anderson
Zoriah Williams, Carson-Newman
Milica Ivanovic, Catawba
Taylor Deal, Mars Hill
Catherine Hintz, Tusculum
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Shannon Depew, Carson-Newman
Whitney Brinkley, Lenoir-Rhyne
Tyler Carlson, Mars Hill
Ellie Gleeson, Newberry
Janitsha Williams, Wingate
COACH OF THE YEAR: Todd Starkey, Lenoir-Rhyne
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jasmine Gunn, Tusculum
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Shannon Depew, Carson-Newman
SAC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Brittini Young, Mars Hill
STATISTICAL CHAMPIONS
Points Per Game - Jasmine Gunn, Tusculum, 19.8
Rebounds Per Game - Dana Hicks, Catawba, 11.4
Field Goal Percentage - Staci Hicks, Tusculum, .558
Assists Per Game - Jessica Bearzatto, Newberry, 5.15
Steals Per Game - Micheala Watkins, Brevard, 2.68
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - Brittini Young, Mars Hill, .438
3-Pointers Per Game - Helen McKinney, Newberry, 2.69
Blocked Shots Per Game - Shannon Depew, Carson-Newman College, 2.00
Free Throw Percentage - Ashley Abed, Anderson, .890
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio - Jessica Bearzatto, Newberry, 2.48
Team Scoring Offense - Mars Hill College, 74.8
Team Field Goal Percentage - Lincoln Memorial University, .417
Team Field Goal Percentage Defense - Wingate University, .370
Team 3-Point Field Goal Percentage - Wingate University, .376
Team Assists - Mars Hill College, 14.27
Team Steals - Lincoln Memorial University, 10.62
Team Scoring Defense - Tusculum College, 60.1
Team Rebounding - Catawba College, 42.7
Team Free Throw Percentage - Wingate University, .759
Team Blocked Shots - Carson-Newman College, 3.93
Team Assist-to-Turnover Ratio - Newberry College, 0.81
