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PARK RIDGE, IL - The Big Ten Conference announced its 2008 post-season awards Monday night, and it included Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder, seniors Johanna Solverson and Stacy Schlapkohl and juniors Kristi Smith, Megan Skouby and Wendy Ausdemore.
Bluder has been named the 2008 Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the media and coaches, after guiding the Hawkeyes to a share of the Big Ten regular season title with a 13-5 league record and 20-9 overall mark. This is the second time she has earned the award in her eight seasons at Iowa (2001). Bluder has garnered five Coach of the Year accolades at Division I institutions. She was named the Missouri Valley Coach of the Year in 1995, 1997 and 1998 while coaching at Drake. Bluder, who is the second all-time winningest coach at the University of Iowa, joins Vivian Stringer as the only two-time Hawkeye women's basketball coach to win the award.
An Iowa head coach has collected the league's Coach of the Year honor five times (Vivian Stringer in 1991 and 1993; Angie Lee in 1996 and Lisa Bluder in 2001 and 2008). Iowa and Purdue have the most Big Ten Coach of the Year honorees with five, followed by Ohio State and Penn State with four.
Bluder, who is the dean of Big Ten coaches, has guided Iowa to five upper-division finishes in the Big Ten, including capturing a share of the 2008 regular season championship and the 2001 Big Ten Tournament crown. Iowa will make its seventh post-season appearance later this month. Additionally, Bluder became the 35th Division I coach to win 500 career games this season.
Smith was named to the all-Big Ten first team by the coaches and second team by the media. Solverson was a second team selection by the coaches and third team pick by the media. Ausdemore earned honorable mention recognition by the media. Skouby was named the "Sixth Player of the Year" by the coaches, while Schlapkohl is Iowa's women's basketball nominee for the Sportsmanship Award.
Smith directs an Iowa offense that ranks third in Big Ten scoring offense and first in assists. The native of Thornton, CO, leads the team in scoring (13.1), steals (35) and free throws made (82) and attempted (104) and second in assists (91) and 3-pointers made (44). Smith, who was a third team honoree a year ago, scored double figures 22 times this season, including netting 15 points or more a team-best 12 times. She dished out seven assists in four games this year (Dartmouth, Mississippi State and Minnesota twice). Smith averaged 14.7 points and 3.1 assists in Iowa's last 16 games, in its drive to the Big Ten regular season co-championship. Smith ranks eighth in Iowa career 3-pointers (111) and ninth in assists (297).
Solverson, who is in her sixth year of eligibility after suffering back-to-back ACL injuries to the same knee, is a team co-captain. Her play improved as the season progressed in helping the Hawkeyes to a share of the Big Ten title. The native of Lake Zurich, IL, ranks first in team assists (98), second in steals (34) and third in scoring (10.2) and rebounding (4.7). Solverson was tabbed co-Big Ten Player of the Week twice this season (Feb. 11 and March 3). She became the 23rd Hawkeye to amass 1,000 career points in Iowa's home win over Michigan State (Feb. 7). Solverson raised her level of play during league competition, ranking fourth in Big Ten assists (4.33), ninth in 3-point field goal percentage (.353), 3-pointers made (1.67) and field goal percentage (.462), 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.2) and defensive rebounding (4.17) and 12th in scoring (12.9). She averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists the last 16 contests. Solverson, who was named to the 2003 all-Big Ten Freshman team, scored double figures six of the last eight games, including pouring in a career-high 31 points in the regular season finale at Wisconsin (March 2). Furthermore, she scored 23 first-half points against the Badgers, the second-most points ever by an Iowa player in a half (28 by Crystal Smith at Louisiana Tech in 2005). She is one of only two Hawkeyes to ever amass over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 350 assists and 175 steals. Solverson ranks fourth in Iowa career assists (382), fourth in 3-pointers made (122), seventh in steals (191), 14th in rebounding (544) and 20th in scoring (1,098).
Ausdemore is one of the nation's most accurate 3-point threats. She ranks fifth in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (.449, 71-158), attempting the most triples amongst the nation's leaders. The native of Neola, IA, ranks second in team scoring (11.7), fourth in rebounding (3.9) and assists (49) and first in 3-pointers made (71) and attempted (158). Her 71 triples are the most by any Hawkeye junior, besting Lindsey Meder's old mark of 68. Ausdemore, who earned third team praise last season, netted double figures 21 times this year, including 14 of the last 17. She was named to the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge all-Tournament team and was recognized on the ESPN The Magazine Academic all-District team. The junior ranks first in Big Ten 3-point field goal percentage (.449), second in 3-pointers made (2.45), 10th in field goal percentage (.463) and 18th in scoring (11.7). Furthermore, her 3-point field goal average (2.45) ranks 42nd nationally. She tied her own Carver-Hawkeye Arena record (by an Iowa player) with six treys in Iowa's victory over Purdue (Jan. 24).
Skouby ranks fourth in team scoring (9.4), first in blocks (22) and field goal percentage (.505, 106-210) and fifth in rebounding (3.2). The native of Mentor, OH, became the 24th Hawkeye to amass 1,000 career points, in front of family and friends, at Ohio State (Feb. 21). Skouby posted double figures 13 times this season, including eight of the last 12. The junior was named to the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge all-Tournament team. She ranks 23rd in Iowa career scoring (1,098) and fourth in career blocks (106). Skouby was the 2006 Freshman of the Year and an honorable mention all-Big Ten selection her sophomore campaign.
Schlapkohl joins 10 other honorees from each of the league's 11 women's basketball squads for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Schlapkohl started the last 21 games at center for the Hawkeyes. For the season, she averages 6.2 points and 2.9 rebounds. The native of Durant, IA, shot 46 percent (70-151) from the field and 71 percent (39-55) from the free throw line her senior season.
Wisconsin's Jolene Anderson was named the Big Ten Player of the Year by the media, while the coaches selected Ohio State's Jantel Lavender. Lavender was also tabbed Freshman of the Year by both voting groups, unanimously by the media. Lavender's teammate, Shavelle Little, was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year by the coaches.
The Iowa Hawkeyes (20-9, 13-5) are the No. 2 seed at this weekend's 2008 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament. The Black and Gold will face seventh-seeded Michigan (16-12, 9-9) or No. 10 Penn State (13-17, 4-14) Friday at 10:30 a.m. (CDT) at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
2007-08 All-Big Ten Women's Basketball Team
As Selected by the Media
First Team
JENNA SMITH, ILL
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Emily Fox, MINN
Jantel Lavender, OSU
JOLENE ANDERSON, WIS
Second Team*
Jamie Braun, IND
Whitney Thomas, IND
Kristi Smith, IOWA
Leslie Knight, MINN
Marscilla Packer, OSU
Lakisha Freeman, PUR
Third Team#
Johanna Solverson, IOWA
Brianne O'Rourke, PSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
Janese Banks, WIS
Honorable Mention
Lori Bjork, ILL
Wendy Ausdemore, IOWA
Carly Benson, MICH
Jessica Minnfield, MICH
Krista Phillips, MICH
Brittney Thomas, MSU
Ashley Ellis-Milan, MINN
Amy Jaeschke, NU
Ashlee Trebilcock, OSU
Kamela Gissendanner, PSU
Tyra Grant, PSU
FahKara Malone, PUR
Player of the Year
Jolene Anderson, WIS
Freshman of the Year
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Coach of the Year
Lisa Bluder, IOWA
As Selected by the Coaches
First Team
Jenna Smith, ILL
Kristi Smith, IOWA
Emily Fox, MINN
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Jolene Anderson, WIS
Second Team
Jamie Braun, IND
Johanna Solverson, IOWA
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Leslie Knight, MINN
Marscilla Packer, OSU
Third Team*
Lori Bjork, ILL
Whitney Thomas, IND
Carly Benson, MICH
Kamela Gissendanner, PSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
Lakisha Freeman, PUR
Honorable Mention
Jessica Minnfield, MICH
Kalisha Keane, MSU
Ashlee Trebilcock, OSU
Tyra Grant, PSU
Brianne O'Rourke, PSU
FahKara Malone, PUR
Janese Banks, WIS
Defensive POY
Shavelle Little, OSU
All-Defensive Team
Kim Roberson, IND
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Shavelle Little, OSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
FahKara Malone, PUR
Freshman of the Year
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
All-Freshman Team
Kalisha Keane, MSU
Brittney Thomas, MSU
Amy Jaeschke, NU
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Lin Zastrow, WIS
Player of the Year
Jantel Lavender, OSU
Coach of the Year
Lisa Bluder, IOWA
Sixth Player of the Year
Megan Skouby, IOWA
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
# Fewer honorees due to additional honorees on second team
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONORES
Illinois - Lori Bjork
Indiana - Whitney Thomas
Iowa - Stacy Schlapkohl
Michigan - Krista Clement
Michigan State - Alisa Wulff
Minnesota - Leslie Knight
Northwestern - Jenny Eckhart
Ohio State - Alice Jamen
Penn State - Kamela Gissendanner
Purdue - Lauren Mioton
Wisconsin - Brittany Heins
