24 Hawkeyes to Watch
PARK RIDGE, IL - The Big Ten Conference announced its 2009 post-season women's basketball awards Monday night, and it included Iowa seniors Wendy Ausdemore, Kristi Smith and Megan Skouby, sophomore Kachine Alexander and freshman Kamille Wahlin.
Iowa's five honorees helped propel the Hawkeyes to a 20-9 overall record and a three-way tie with Michigan State and Purdue for second place in the Big Ten with a 13-5 mark. Smith earned first team honors by both the media and coaches. Alexander was recognized on the second team by the coaches and the third team by the media. Ausdemore was a third team pick by the coaches and an honorable mention selection by the media. Skouby was tabbed honorable mention by both the coaches and media. Wahlin was honored on the coaches' all-freshman squad.
Smith becomes the first Hawkeye to achieve back-to-back first team accolades, since Lindsey Meder in 2001 and 2002. Additionally, Smith becomes just the seventh Hawkeye to achieve multiple first team all-conference recognition.
Smith, who is a team co-captain, directs an Iowa offense that ranks first in six Big Ten offensive statistical categories. The 5-6 point guard has scored in double figures in 24-of-29 games. She concluded the regular season sinking 33 of her last 34 free throws, dating back to the Indiana home game on Feb. 5. The native of Thornton, CO, ranks third in Big Ten 3-pointers (2.03), 3-point percentage (.424) and free throw percentage (.831), fifth in scoring (15.2), seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.24), and 10th in assists (3.24) and minutes played (33.69). Smith, who was also a third team all-Big Ten pick as a sophomore, is only 12 points and six assists from becoming the first Hawkeye to ever amass over 400 points and 100 assists in three seasons. The senior's single-season best 59 triples rank second-best for an Iowa senior in a single-season.
Ausdemore was tabbed a third team all-league selection by the league's coaches and an honorable mention choice by the media. Ausdemore, who was also Iowa women's basketball's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award nominee, continued to be a model of consistency for the Black and Gold. She led or shared the team lead in scoring a team-best 10 times her senior campaign. Ausdemore, who was a team co-captain, netted double figures 10 times, including the last 10 contests of the regular season. The 6-2 forward finished the regular season ranked fourth in Big Ten 3-pointers (1.86), 11th in 3-point percentage (.355) and field goal percentage (.447), 13th in scoring (12.0), and 14th in assists (2.59). The native of Neola, IA, posted single-season bests in steals (28) and rebounds (149). Ausdemore was named to the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge and Paradise Jam all-tournament teams in November. She has been nearly automatic from the free throw line, only missing five attempts (51-56, .911). Ausdemore, who is also a two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree, was an honorable mention all-conference selection a year ago and a third team honoree her sophomore campaign.
Skouby was recognized as honorable mention all-Big Ten by both the media and coaches. This year marks the fourth-straight season Skouby earned all-Big Ten accolades. The 6-6 center was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was tabbed second team all-league in 2006. She was an honorable mention selection as a sophomore and was named Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year her junior campaign. Skouby ranks second in Big Ten free throw percentage (.857), sixth in blocked shots (1.45), eighth in field goal percentage (.466) and 10th in scoring (12.6). The native of Mentor, OH, scored in double figures 16 times and pulled down five rebounds or more 15 times. She posted an Iowa single-game-best 33 points at Kansas on Nov. 18. Earlier this season, she was tabbed the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge Most Valuable Player.
Ausdemore, Skouby and Smith will go down in the Big Ten record books as one of the best three players, from one class, in history. They became the first three players, from the same class, to eclipse 1,200 career points in Big Ten history. Furthermore, it is believed that they are the highest scoring trio, from the same class, in Big Ten history. The three senior Hawkeyes have combined for 4,134 combined points: Smith (1,421), Skouby (1,416) and Ausdemore (1,297). Iowa's senior trio topped Purdue's 2004 senior trio of Shereka Wright (2,251), Erika Valek (1,219) and Beth Jones (640), who accumulated 4,110 points. The record was broken in the Hawkeyes' regular season finale at Northwestern.
Alexander was a second all-conference selection by the coaches and a third team choice by the media, and is Iowa women's basketball's Big Ten Sportsmanship nominee. The sophomore was the highest-honored sophomore by the coaches. Alexander had a tremendous break-out season after only playing 18 games her freshman campaign. Alexander boasted improvements of +7.4 points per game, +5.8 rebounds per game and +3.2 assists per contest from her freshman to sophomore season. Alexander became the first Hawkeye and Big Ten student-athlete to post two triple-doubles in a season when she accomplished the feat vs. Northwestern and Penn State. She is one of only four NCAA Division I student-athletes to post multiple triple-doubles this season. Alexander recorded a team-best seven double-doubles this year, which includes the two triple-doubles. She becomes the first Hawkeye to collect at least seven double-doubles in a season, since Jennie Lillis (2002-03). The 5-9 guard/forward ranks second in Big Ten rebounding (9.7), defensive rebounding (7.17), assist/turnover ratio (1.59) and assists (4.5), 10th in offensive rebounds (2.5), 15th in free throw percentage (.757) and field goal percentage (.425), and 18th in scoring (10.9), in conference games only. Alexander is one of the Big Ten's best penetrators, which has enabled her to shoot a Big Ten-best 159 free throws. The native of Minneapolis, MN, native tied three single-game records this season. Her 12 assists vs. Northwestern tied the school and Carver-Hawkeye Arena record. Also, her 14 free throws made and 18 attempted vs. Ohio State tied a Carver-Hawkeye Arena mark, by an Iowa player. Alexander has secured 253 rebounds this season, which ranks third-best by a Hawkeye sophomore.
Wahlin was named to the all-freshman squad after a productive freshman campaign. Wahlin played in all 29 games, including starting the last 11. Since being inserted into the starting lineup, Wahlin averaged 11.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and an astonishing 2.5 assist/turnover ratio. Her 25 triples and 73 assists rank fourth and fifth-best in Iowa single-season history by a freshman. She dished out a personal-best 10 assists in her first career start (vs. Michigan). The 10 assists are believed to be the most by an Iowa freshman in a game. Wahlin also scored 14 points against the Wolverines to register her first career double-double. The native of Crookston, MN, has posted double figures in seven of her 11 starts. She ranked second in assists (3.06), scoring (8.7) and 3-point percentage (.415), third in rebounding (3.6), and fifth in field goal percentage (.446), amongst Big Ten freshmen, in conference games only rankings. Additionally, she ranked first in assist/turnover ratio (2.04), fourth in 3-point percentage (.415), 11th in assists (3.06) and field goal percentage (.446), in conference games only rankings.
Ohio State dominated the major conference awards. Buckeye sophomore Jantel Lavender was named Player of the Year by both the media and coaches. Lavender's coach, Jim Foster, was tabbed Coach of the Year, freshman Samantha Prahalis was recognized as the Freshman of the Year, while junior Shavelle Little was named Defensive Player of the Year. Purdue freshman Brittany Rayburn was picked as the Sixth Player of the Year.
Iowa (20-9, 13-5) is the No. 4 seed at this weekend's Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament. The Hawkeyes will face fifth-seeded Minnesota (19-10, 11-7) Friday at approximately 7:15 p.m. (CST) at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.
2008-09 All-Big Ten Women's Basketball Team
As Selected by the Media
First Team
Jenna Smith, ILL
Kristi Smith, IOWA
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Tyra Grant, PSU
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, PUR
Second Team
Whitney Thomas, IND
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Emily Fox, MINN
Amu Jaeschke, NU
Samantha Prahalis, OSU
Third Team
Lacey Simpson, ILL
Jamie Braun, IND
Kachine Alexander, IOWA
Ashley Ellis-Milan, MINN
Star Allen, OSU
Honorable Mention
Amber Jackson, IND
Wendy Ausdemore, IOWA
Megan Skouby, IOWA
Aisha Jefferson, MSU
Lykendra Johnson, MSU
Brittney Thomas, MSU
Brianne O'Rourke, PSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
Lakisha Freeman, PUR
FahKara Malone, PUR
Alyssa Karel, WIS
Player of the Year
Jantel Lavender, OSU
Freshman of the Year
Samantha Prahalis, OSU
Coach of the Year
Jim Foster, OSU
As Selected by the Coaches
First Team
Jenna Smith, ILL
Kristi Smith, IOWA
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Tyra Grant, PSU
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, PUR
Second Team
Jamie Braun, IND
Whitney Thomas, IND
Kachine Alexander, IOWA
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Emily Fox, MINN
Third Team
Wendy Ausdemore, IOWA
Ashley Ellis-Milan, MINN
Amy Jaeschke, NU
Star Allen, OSU
Lakisha Freeman, PUR
Honorable Mention
Lacey Simpson, ILL
Amber Jackson, IND
Megan Skouby, IOWA
Aisha Jefferson, MSU
Kalisha Keane, MSU
Samantha Prahalis, OSU
Alyssa Karel, WIS
Defensive Player of the Year
Shavelle Little, OSU
All-Defensive Team
Lacey Simpson, ILL
Kim Roberson, IND
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
SHAVELLE LITTLE, OSU
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, PUR
Freshman of the Year
Samantha Prahalis, OSU
All-Freshman Team
Kamille Wahlin, IOWA
LYKENDRA JOHNSON, MSU
Kiara Buford, MINN
SAMANTHA PRAHALIS, OSU
Brittany Rayburn, PUR
Player of the Year
Jantel Lavender, OSU
Coach of the Year
Jim Foster, OSU
Sixth Player of the Year
Brittany Rayburn, PUR
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Illinois - Lacey Simpson
Indiana - Andrea McGuirt
Iowa - Wendy Ausdemore
Michigan - Carly Benson
Michigan State - Lauren Aitch
Minnesota - Kay Sylva
Northwestern - Ellen Jaeschke
Ohio State - Maria Moeller
Penn State - Mashea Williams
Purdue - Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton
Wisconsin - Anya Covington
