March 6, 2006
Contact: Carlos Valdez III. (210) 458-4930
Four UTSA Players Earn Southland Conference Honors
PLANO – The UTSA women’s basketball team posted four players on the 2005-06 Southland Conference honors, including two individual awards in Vivian Ewalefo, who was named Newcomer of the Year and Monica Gibbs, who received Freshman of the Year.
UTSA collected two of the four individual honors as Gibbs was named the Freshman of the Year and Ewalefo was voted Newcomer of the Year. Ewalefo, a transfer from Barton Country Community College, also was named to the All-SLC first team after leading the league in defensive rebounds with 5.93 per outing. The 6-0 junior forward ranks fifth overall in total boards (7.5 rpg) and ninth in points (12.1 ppg). Ewalefo produced the second most double-doubles in the league with six.
Gibbs’ (left) immediate impact was felt at the guard position where she swatted away 22 shots and averaged 5.28 rebounds per contest, both figures are among the conferences’ top 12. The Stillwater, Okla., native was instrumental in UTSA’s double overtime victory over UTA when she netted 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for her first career double-double, while shooting 63.6 percent (7-for-11) from the field.
Seniors Nicole Dunson and Lacy Mingee were also awarded all-SLC honors. Dunson a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, garnered third team all-SLC. She leads the team and conference in 3-points accuracy .468. Dunson is third in scoring averaging 9.7 points per game.
Mingee (right) was the fourth Roadrunner to accolade SLC honors, as she collected honorable mention. The Piedmont, Okla., native was named second team preseason all-SLC team in the start of the season. Mingee tops the team in field goal percentage (.477) and free throw percentage (.750). She fourth in the SLC in field goal accuracy and is ninth in blocks shot (0.77).
Terra Wallace of UTA was named the SLC Player of the Year. Wallace has the ability to become one of the Southland Conference’s best players ever. The Round Rock, Texas, native is a top offensive threat as she leads the league with 18.6 points, 4.85 assists and 2.22 3-pointers per game. Wallace, who has scored at least 20 points in 13 outings, had two 30-point performances this year. She recorded 31 points against Troy (Dec. 16) and poured in a career-best 34 at UTSA (Feb. 16). The 5-7 point guard also averages 4.9 rebounds and 1.15 blocks per game.
SFA’s head coach Lee Ann Riley was honored as Coach of the Year after guiding the Ladyjacks to the SLC regular season title with a 14-2 conference record. Riley also led the program to its first 20-win season in five years (2002), that same year - Riley’s inaugural season - SFA won the regular season and SLC Tournament titles. Going from third team to first team after having her best season ever at SFA is LaToya Mills. Mills concluded the regular season with a league-best 10 double-doubles and had nine games of scoring 20-plus points. The four-time All-SLC pick leads the league in rebounds per game (8.9) and field goal percentage (53.4%). The 2003 SLC Freshman of the Year went on to rank second in scoring with 16.8 ppg.
Rounding out the All-SLC first teamers is Texas State’s Tamara Thompson and Lamar’s LaToya Carson. Thompson, a preseason All-SLC pick, leads her team in scoring with 16.8 points per game, which ties for second best in the league. She also ranks third among the conference in rebounding with 7.9 boards per contest. The senior from Tyler Junior College is currently tied with UTSA’s Ewalefo (left) and Northwestern State’s Shenise Milliner with six double-doubles on the season. The 2005 SLC Newcomer of the Year has posted solid numbers under the basket as she shoots 45.3 percent from the field.
Carson has led Lamar back to the Southland Tournament for the first time in four years. The 5-9 junior guard averages 13.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Second to teammate Audrea Samuel, Carson shoots 82.1 percent from the free throw line. Samuel has a league-best 83.0 accuracy (83-for-100).
The all-conference second team includes: Texas State’s Joyce Ekworomadu and Louisiana-Monroe’s LeJeanna Howard, plus McNeese State’s Regina Spivey, Northwestern State’s Sheronda Bell and Brenita Williams of Southeastern Louisiana.
The all-conference third team was made up of five guards in Stephen F. Austin’s Kirby Killingsworth and Britany Vinson, UTA’s Maryann Abanobi, Nicholls State’s Jamie Octave and UTSA’s Dunson.(right)
2006 ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAMS
First Team
Name Ht. Cl. Pos. School Hometown / Last School
Terra Wallace 5-7 Jr. G Texas-Arlington Round Rock, Texas / Austin Leander HS
LaToya Mills 6-0 Sr. F Stephen F. Austin Houston, Texas / Kempner HS
Tamara Thompson 6-0 Sr. F Texas State Austin, Texas / Tyler JC
Vivian Ewalefo 6-0 Jr. F UTSA Las Vegas, Nev. / Barton County CC
LaToya Carson 5-9 Jr. G Lamar Long Beach, Miss. / Long Beach HS
Second Team
Name Ht. Cl. Pos. School Hometown / Last School
Joyce Ekworomadu 5-10 So. F Texas State Coppell, Texas / Coppell HS
LeJeanna Howard 5-10 So. G Louisiana-Monroe Lancaster, Texas / Duncanville HS
Sheronda Bell 5-4 Sr. G Northwestern State Bienville, La. / Bienville HS
Regina Spivey 5-11 Sr. F McNeese State Ruston, La. / Ruston HS
Brenita Williams 6-0 Jr. F Southeastern Louisiana Cedar Hill, Texas / Lon Morris College
Third Team
Name Ht. Cl. Pos. School Hometown / Last School
Britany Vinson 5-6 Sr. G Stephen F. Austin Prattville, Ala. / Prattville HS
Maryann Abanobi 5-8 So. G Texas-Arlington Sugar Land, Texas / Seagoville HS
Jamie Octave 5-7 Jr. G Nicholls State St. James, La. / Donaldsonville HS
Nicole Dunson 5-7 Sr. G UTSA Corpus Christi, Texas / Carroll HS / Central Florida
Kirby Killingsworth 5-7 Sr. G Stephen F. Austin Longview, Texas / Longview HS / New Mexico
Honorable Mention: Andrea Samuel, LU; Shamika Stewart, McN; Marquita Wiliams, McN; Katherine Plummer, NICH; Chassidy Jones, NWLA; Nikki Carr, SFA; Ashley Bobb, UTA; Lacy Mingee, UTSA.
Freshman of the Year: Monica Gibbs, UTSA
Newcomer of the Year: Vivian Ewalefo, UTSA
Player of the Year: Terra Wallace, Texas-Arlington
Coach of the Year: Lee Ann Riley, Stephen F. Austin