Women's Basketball Holds Awards Reception and Senior Celebration Wednesday
April 20, 2011
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
University of Kansas women’s basketball team held its postseason awards reception and senior celebration Wednesday night in the Kansas Union Ballroom, with sophomore guard Angel Goodrich and redshirt freshman forward Tania Jackson each nabbing two awards.
The event was hosted by Jayhawk Radio Network broadcaster Brian Hanni and Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson addressed the crowd before the awards were handed out. Henrickson ran down a series of highlights from the season, which included the team compiling its second 20-win season in the last three years, advancing to postseason play for the fourth-straight season and opening the year with its best record since the 1993-94 season.
Goodrich received the Sheahon Zenger Leadership Award after guiding Kansas to a 21-13 overall mark and a 6-10 ledger in Big 12 play in her first full season in a Jayhawk uniform. Goodrich, who suffered two major knee injuries prior to the 2010-11 season, turned in 7.5 points, 6.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. She set an Allen Fieldhouse record for men or women by collecting 15 assists in KU’s overtime win over No. 20 Iowa State and finished the season leading the Big 12 and ranking sixth in the NCAA in assists per game.
Goodrich was also the recipient of the Defensive Player of the Year Award after leading the Jayhawks with 1.7 steals per game. Goodrich ranked 11th in the Big 12 in steals per game and led Kansas with 24 charges taken on the season.
Jackson was honored with the Academic Pride Award for the second-straight year. The Lawrence, Kan., native earned First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors and was one of six KU players to earn a spot on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. Senior Krysten Boogaard, junior Aishah Sutherland, sophomores Carolyn Davis and Monica Engelman and freshman Diara Moore joined Jackson on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. Boogaard and Goodrich were tabbed Second Team Academic All-Big 12 honorees.
Additionally, Jackson earned the Most Improved Player Award. She averaged 4.4 points and 3.0 boards per game on the season, but worked her way into the KU starting lineup for the final 11 games of the season. Jackson upped her averages to 5.5 points and 3.1 caroms per contest as a starter, while also averaging over just over 20 minutes per game.
Kansas was led on the season by All-Big 12 First Team member Carolyn Davis with 19.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Davis, who was presented her All-Big 12 honor at the reception, recorded 30 or more points in five games on the season, including a career-best 38-point outing in the season finale versus Duquesne. Davis led the Big 12 and ranked second nationally in field goal percentage, shooting 66.0 percent on the season. For her efforts, she was presented the team’s Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Harwood Club member Teresa James received the Most Outstanding Person Award. An attorney at Martin-Pringle Law Firm in Kansas City, James is a women’s basketball season ticket holder and volunteers her time and expertise as a mentor for KU’s Hoops 2 Heels program. James was honored for the enthusiasm and dedication she has shown to the Kansas women’s basketball program.
Following the awards portion of the evening, the two-member senior class of Boogaard and Marisha Brown each gave a short speech commemorating their Jayhawk careers.
Kansas will return four starters and eight letterwinners for the 2011-12 season. Of the eight returning players, seven started at least 11 games in 2010-11. The Jayhawks will return 86.4 percent of their scoring and 83.4 percent of their rebounding next season. KU will welcome five newcomers to the fold, led by Asia Boyd, who was ranked the 39th best player in the national by ESPNHoopgurlz.com and Natalie Knight, the 2011 Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year.
Wednesday Night’s Award Winners
Jayhawks Most Outstanding Person Award- Teresa James
Athletic Director’s Honor Roll- Krysten Boogaard, Aishah Sutherland, Carolyn Davis, Monica Engelman, Tania Jackson, Diara Moore
Big 12 Academic Award- Tania Jackson—First Team; Krysten Boogaard, Angel Goodrich—Second Team
Big 12 Athletic Honor- Carolyn Davis—First Team
Academic Pride Award- Tania Jackson
Best Defender- Angel Goodrich
Most Improved- Tania Jackson
Sheahon Zenger Leadership Award- Angel Goodrich
