Superlative Awards and All-Freshman Team Chosen as Well
SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Chattanooga junior forward Shanara Hollinquest was selected by the Southern Conference women’s basketball coaches as the league’s Player of the Year. The group also honored a 10-member All-Conference team, a five-player All-Freshman Team and five superlative awards.
Hollinquest led the Southern Conference in scoring this season at 16.4 points per game while guiding Chattanooga to a 21-8 overall record and the Lady Mocs’ 10th straight league regular season title. A native of Sylacauga, Ala., Hollinquest was also the SoCon’s leader in field goal percentage (53.2) while pulling down 8.0 rebounds per game.
UNC Greensboro sophomore guard Monique Floyd was honored as the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year. Floyd, who hails from Fairmont, N.C., accounted for 45 steals on the season while helping the Spartans to the second-lowest field goal percentage defense (37.2) in the conference.
Joining Hollinquest on the all-conference team were College of Charleston duo Tonia Gerty and Jade Hughes, Chattanooga teammates Erin Ogan and Jenaya Wade-Fray, Davidson’s Mercedes Robinson, Furman’s Lee Stephens, Savannah Hill and Emily London of Samford and Western Carolina’s Brooke Johnson.
Elon’s Tiara Gause was chosen as the Freshman of the Year after leading all league freshmen in scoring at 10.0 points per contest. She also paced the Phoenix in scoring while starting in 25 contests and scoring in double figures 13 times. The Fayetteville, N.C., native recorded a season-high 22 points against Davidson on Feb. 7 and has reached double figures in points in five of the last six outings.
Gause was also named to the All-Freshman team along with teammate Courtney Medley, Appalachian State’s Canesha Edwards and Sade Means and Western Carolina’s Kaila’Shea Menedez.
Samford head coach Mike Morris was voted by his peers as the Coach of the Year following a 16-4 Southern Conference campaign by the Bulldogs and a second place finish. Predicted to finish fourth in the preseason, the Bulldogs won 16 of their first 18 league contests, including nine in a row at home and 11 straight overall from Dec. 19 through Jan. 31.
Jade Hughes, a junior All-Southern Conference guard from College of Charleston, was honored as the second ever recipient of the Ann Lashley Inspiration Award. This award honors a student-athlete or coach who has shown outstanding courage or service. This award is presented in memory of former Elon women’s basketball associate head coach Ann Lashley, who passed away on November 10, 2005 after a six-month battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Hughes was struck by a passing automobile last year while crossing the street, suffering a head injury and forcing her to miss the 2007-08 season. She returned to action this year to lead her team to its first ever 20-plus win season as a Division I program.
2008-09 Southern Conference Coaches All-Conference Team
Tonia Gerty, College of Charleston
Jade Hughes, College of Charleston
Shanara Hollinquest, Chattanooga
Erin Ogan, Chattanooga
Jenaya Wade-Fray, Chattanooga
Mercedes Robinson, Davidson
Lee Stephens, Furman
Savannah Hill, Samford
Emily London, Samford
Brooke Johnson, Western Carolina
All-Freshman Team
Canesha Edwards, Appalachian State
Sade Means, Appalachian State
Tiara Gause, Elon
Courtney Medley, Elon
Kaila’Shea Menedez, Western Carolina
Player of the Year ? Shanara Hollinquest, Chattanooga
Defensive Player of the Year ? Monique Floyd, UNC Greensboro
Freshman of the Year ? Tiara Gause, Elon
Coach of the Year ? Mike Morris, Samford
Ann Lashley Inspiration Award ? Jade Hughes, College of Charleston