Mosley Named Preseason Big 12 Newcomer Of The Year
Oct. 18, 2005
DALLAS — University of Kansas junior transfer Shaquina Mosley was named the Preseason Newcomer of the Year in a vote of the Big 12 women’s basketball coaches released Tuesday by the conference office. KU senior Crystal Kemp was selected as a preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention pick.
“It’s humbling to be given an honor like this from the Big 12 coaches, especially before I even play my first game,” Mosley said. “My teammates and I have been working hard in practice and are excited about the upcoming season.”
Mosley, a 5-6 junior guard, transferred to Kansas from Central Arizona Community College. She led her team to the NJCAA national championship last year while being named the 2005 WBCA Junior College/Community College Player of the Year.
“This is obviously a great honor for Shaq and we are happy for her,” KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “She is one of several newcomers on our team who will need to contribute if we’re going to have the type of season we are hoping for.
“I’m also happy for Crystal to be recognized in a preseason poll by the coaches,” Henrickson added. “She understands that she will have to work hard to earn that same respect when the polls come out at the end of the season.”
Sophia Young (Baylor) was named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year while Courtney Paris (Oklahoma) was selected Preseason Freshman of the Year.
Young was an All-Big 12 First Team selection last year, as well as Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four and Temple Regional while leading Baylor to the national championship. She was third in the league in scoring (18.4 ppg) and second in rebounding (9.3 rpg) in 2004-05. The 6-1 senior forward was a 2005 Kodak All-American and is named to numerous preseason All-America teams heading into the 2005-06 campaign.
Paris was selected the 2005 National High School Player of the Year by USA Today and the Naismith Trophy Foundation. The 6-4 freshman center averaged 27.0 points, 19.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game as a senior at Piedmont (Calif.) High School. She earned two gold medals this past summer while playing for the USA FIBA U19 championship team.
2005-06 Big 12 Conference Preseason All-Big 12 Team
(coaches not allowed to vote for own players)
Preseason Player of the Year: Sophia Young, Baylor, F, 6-1, Sr, St. Vincent, The Grenadines/Evangel Academy (Shreveport, La.)
Preseason Newcomer of the Year: Shaquina Mosley, Kansas, G, 5-6, Jr, Lancaster, Calif./Antelope Valley/Central Arizona CC
Preseason Freshman of the Year: Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, C, 6-4, Fr, Piedmont, Calif.
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
Name, School, Pos., Ht., Cl.
Sophia Young, Baylor, F, 6-1, Sr.
Kiera Hardy, Nebraska, G, 5-6, Jr.
Leah Rush, Oklahoma, F, 6-1, Jr.
Tiffany Jackson, Texas, F, 6-3, Jr.
Erin Grant, Texas Tech, G, 5-8, Sr.
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically by school)
Baylor: Abiola Wabara; Iowa State: Lyndsey Medders; Kansas: Crystal Kemp; Kansas State: Claire Coggins; Oklahoma: Courtney Paris; Texas: Nina Norman; Texas A&M: Morenike Atunrase; Texas Tech: Chesley Dabbs, LaToya Davis, Alesha Robertson
