RICHARDSON, Texas –– Howard Payne senior point guard Brittany Roberson and Texas-Dallas senior guard Lyndsey Smith have been named division players of the year to headline the 2012 American Southwest Conference Women’s Basketball All-Conference and All-Division selections, the ASC office announced on Wednesday (Feb. 29), following a vote of the league’s head coaches.
The 5-5 Roberson (Lone Star, TX / Temple College) earned the title of ASC West Division Player of the Year after averaging 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game. She also shot 48.8 percent from the field and led the league in 3-point percentage, connecting on 28 of 59 tries from beyond the arc.
The 5-8 Smith (Gunter, TX / GHS) earned the title of ASC East Division Player of the Year after posting a division-high 16.3 points per game to go along with 6.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.9 steals. She hit 57 three-pointers at a 37.5 percent clip and connected on 69 of 79 free throws.
Roberson and Smith, who were both selected to their respective All-Division first team, were also named to the prestigious six-player ASC All-Conference Team. They were joined by junior forward Natosha Gottlieb (Alexandria, LA / Bolton HS) of Louisiana College, senior forward Shamika Singleton (Hemphill, TX / Lubbock Christian) of Concordia Texas, sophomore wing Keshia Collins (Midland, TX / MHS) of McMurry and senior guard/forward Roslyn Wilmer (Marksville, LA / MHS) of Louisiana College.
Collins was also named ASC West Division Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season after leading the league with 87 steals to go along with 14.8 points per game. Schreiner point guard Karisa Cantu (San Antonio, TX / MacArthur HS) was named top freshman in the West after averaging 8.8 points per game and dishing out 57 assists, while Sul Ross State junior guard/forward Krista Ford (Lubbock, TX / Frenship HS) took top newcomer honors after leading the league with 18.3 points per game. Hardin-Simmons junior point guard Coco Cartwright (Shelbyville, TX / Normangee HS) was named ASC West Division Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year for the second straight season. Concordia Texas’ Rusty Rainbolt was voted ASC West Division Coach of the Year after guiding the Tornados to their first conference and division title.
Gottlieb was also named ASC East Division Defensive Player of the Year after posting 77 steals and 30 blocked shots. Louisiana College center Danisha Allison (Oakdale, LA / OHS) was named the top freshman in the East after pulling down 7.1 rebounds per game, while LeTourneau senior forward Sharday Cotton (Mansfield, LA / LSU-Shreveport) took top newcomer honors after averaging 11.8 points and 9.2 rebounds. Texas-Tyler junior guard Olivia Burns (Cibolo, TX / Steele HS) and Ozarks senior forward Ashley Teague (Lavaca, AR / LHS) shared the title of ASC East Division Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. LeTourneau’s Corey Thomaston took East coach of the year honors after leading the YellowJackets to a 13-12 record, their first winning season since 2002-03.
Complete All-Conference Team, award winners and All-Division teams follow:
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 2012 ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Listed in order of voting point totals; #, & indicates tie in voting)
Brittany Roberson PG Howard Payne Sr. Lone Star, TX (Temple College)
Lyndsey Smith G Texas-Dallas Sr. Gunter, TX (GHS)
Natasha Gottlieb# F Louisiana College Jr. Alexandria, LA (Bolton HS)
Shamika Singleton# F Concordia Texas Sr. Hemphill, TX (Lubbock Christian)
Keshia Collins& W McMurry So. Midland, TX (MHS)
Roslyn Wilmer& G/F Louisiana College Sr. Marksville, LA (MHS)
-ASC WEST DIVISION AWARDS AND HONORS-
(Listed in order of voting point totals; #, & indicates tie in voting in that category)
ASC West Division Player of the Year: Brittany Roberson, PG, Sr., Howard Payne
ASC West Division Defensive Player of the Year: Keshia Collins, W, So., McMurry
ASC West Division Freshman of the Year: Karisa Cantu, PG, Schreiner
ASC West Division Newcomer of the Year: Krista Ford, G/F, Jr., Sul Ross State
ASC West Division Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year: Coco Cartwright, PG, Jr., Hardin-Simmons
ASC West Division Coach of the Year: Rusty Rainbolt, Concordia Texas
ASC ALL-WEST DIVISION
First Team
Brittany Roberson PG Howard Payne Sr. Lone Star, TX (Temple College)
Shamika Singleton F Concordia Texas Sr. Hemphill, TX (Lubbock Christian)
Angela Newcombe F Hardin-Simmons Sr. Keller, TX (KHS)
Keshia Collins W McMurry So. Midland, TX (MHS)
Lashanda Luckey W Concordia Texas Sr. Garland, Texas (Southwest Christian)
Second Team
Brittany Zamora G Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Cedar Park, TX (Vista Ridge HS)
Jasmin Thomas G Howard Payne Sr. McGregor, TX (Midway HS)
Jasmine Lewis G Hardin-Simmons Sr. Keller, TX (Fossil Ridge HS)
Krista Ford G/F Sul Ross State Jr. Lubbock, TX (Frenship HS)
MJ Vickers W McMurry Jr. Albany, TX (AHS)
Honorable Mention
Olivia Swarner G Schreiner So. San Antonio, TX (Reagan HS)
Alexis Popelar G Hardin-Simmons Sr. Longview, TX (Pine Tree)
Roshonda Gayden P Howard Payne Sr. Beaumont, TX (Ozen HS)
Celeste Belizario P McMurry Sr. Amarillo, TX (Eastern New Mexico)
Dana Marrs W Howard Payne Jr. LaGrange, TX (Blinn JC)
Katy Scott# P Texas Lutheran Jr. LaGrange, TX (Temple JC)
Rikeita Thomas# G McMurry Jr. Homestead, TX (Humble HS)
Abby Parmelly W Howard Payne Sr. Prosper, TX (PHS)
Christen McLee& F Concordia Texas Sr. San Antonio, Texas (South Plains JC)
Candance Pollard& G Sul Ross State So. Hagerman, NM (HHS)
ASC WEST DIVISION DEFENSIVE TEAM
Keshia Collins W McMurry So. Midland, TX (MHS)
Jasmin Thomas G Howard Payne Sr. McGregor, TX (Midway HS)
Jasmine Lewis G Hardin-Simmons Sr. Keller, TX (Fossil Ridge HS)
Margaret Milling# W Concordia Texas Jr. Fort Worth, TX (Paschal HS)
Shamika Singleton# F Concordia Texas Sr. Hemphill, TX (Lubbock Christian)
ASC WEST DIVISION FRESHMAN TEAM
Karisa Cantu PG Schreiner San Antonio, TX (MacArthur HS)
Madi Hess PG Concordia Texas Cedar Park, TX (CPHS)
Dominique Liddell C Concordia Texas Houston, TX ( Thurgood Marshall)
Breanna Conway# P Howard Payne Murrieta, CA (Happy Hill Farm Academy)
Bridget Dorn# P McMurry Plano, TX (Plano West HS)
Katlyn Tarbet# G McMurry Vega, TX (VHS)
-ASC EAST DIVISION AWARDS AND HONORS -
(Listed in order of voting point totals; #, & indicates tie in voting in that category)
ASC East Division Player of the Year: Lyndsey Smith, F, Sr., Texas-Dallas
ASC East Division Defensive Player of the Year: Natosha Gottlieb, G, Sr., Louisiana College
ASC East Division Freshman of the Year: Danisha Allison, C, Louisiana College
ASC East Division Newcomer of the Year: Sharday Cotton, F, Sr., LeTourneau
ASC East Division Co-Sportsmanship Athletes of the Year:
Olivia Burns, G, Jr., Texas-Tyler; Ashley Teague, F, Sr., Ozarks
ASC East Division Coach of the Year: Corey Thomaston, LeTourneau
ASC ALL- EAST DIVISION
First Team
Lyndsey Smith G Texas-Dallas Sr. Gunter, TX (GHS)
Natasha Gottlieb F Louisiana College Jr. Alexandria, LA (Bolton HS)
Roslyn Wilmer G/F Louisiana College Sr. Marksville, LA (MHS)
Melissa Thomas G Texas-Tyler Sr. Austin, TX (Lake Travis HS)
Sabrina Goodard P Ozarks Sr. Stroud, OK (SHS)
Second Team
Lacey Phillips G Ozarks Sr. Clarksville, AR (CHS)
Sharday Cotton F LeTourneau Sr. Mansfield, LA (LSU-Shreveport)
Lindsey Hausmann PG Texas-Tyler Sr. Austin, TX (Lake Travis HS)
Elizabeth Brooks G Mississippi College Jr. Hernando, MS (Magnolia Heights)
April Young G Ozarks Sr. Deer, AR (DHS)
Honorable Mention
Caitlin Brown F Mississippi College Jr. Douglasville, GA (King’s Way Christian)
Ebony Williams F Mississippi College Jr. Calhoun City, MS (Itawamba CC)
Brittany Houston F Texas-Dallas Sr. San Antonio, TX (Reagan HS)
LaQueda Davis# G LeTourneau Sr. Houston, TX (Waltrip HS)
DeShante Thomas# C LeTourneau So. Whitehouse, TX (WHS)
Shamiya Domino G Texas-Tyler Sr. Longview, TX (LHS)
Danisha Allison& C Louisiana College Fr. Oakdale, LA (OHS)
She’Cara Humphrey& P Texas-Tyler So. Pittsburg, TX (Pittsburg HS)
ASC EAST DIVISION DEFENSIVE TEAM
Natasha Gottlieb F Louisiana College Jr. Alexandria, LA (Bolton HS)
Shasidy Ludgood G Louisiana College Sr. Inglewood, CA (Tusculum)
DeShante Thomas C LeTourneau So. Whitehouse, TX (WHS)
Holly Phelps F East Texas Baptist Jr. Tyler, TX (Winona HS)
Lindsey Hausmann PG Texas-Tyler Sr. Austin, TX (Lake Travis HS)
ASC EAST DIVISION FRESHMAN TEAM
Danisha Allison C Louisiana College Oakdale, LA (OHS)
Madelyn Cross F Mississippi College Natchez, MS (Trinity Episcopal)
Amanda Rucker G East Texas Baptist Grand Saline, TX (GSHS)
Christina Brosnahan G Texas-Dallas Houston, TX (Langham Creek HS)
Jo’Anna Davis# G Texas-Dallas Cushing, TX (Cushing HS)
Keana Frank# PG Louisiana College Elton, LA (Kinder HS)