IDAHO’S CHARLSTON NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Idaho senior post player Alyssa Charlston has been named Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 11-17. This is her first WAC Player of the Week honor of the season and third of her career.
The Sammamish, Wash., native led Idaho to a pair of wins in the Preseason WNIT consolations last weekend with a pair of double-doubles. Charlston opened the week with game highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds in the Vandals’ 81-63 win over Mount St. Mary’s. She shot 60 percent (9-of-15) from the field against the Mountaineers, including a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the three-point arc. In Saturday’s contest at Loyola Chicago, Charlston battled for 10 points and 11 rebounds, earning her second double-double in as many nights and the 21st of her career. She shifted the momentum back to the Vandals late in the second half, completing a three-point play to tie the game at 58, setting the stage for the buzzer-beating victory. For the week, Charlston averaged 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds.
Other nominees included: Kansas City’s Kim Nezianya averaged 14.0 points and 9.0 rebounds as the Kangaroos dropped a pair of heartbreakers ... Vanessa Garner of New Mexico State averaged 19.7 points on 52.4 percent shooting as the Aggies went 1-2 on the week ... Utah Valley’s Karlee Kartchner averaged 14.5 points and 12.5 rebounds as the Wolverines dropped a pair of road games.
WAC STAT LEADERS
Grand Canyon leads the WAC in scoring (92.0), scoring defense (35.0), scoring margin (57.0), field goal percentage (48.7), field goal percentage defense (26.7), three-point field goal percentage defense (14.3), rebounding (50.0), rebounding defense (34.0), rebounding margin (16.0), assists (18.0), steals (19.0), turnover margin (23.0) and assist-turnover ratio (3.0). The Antelopes and Texas-Pan American are tied for the lead in blocks (4.0). Utah Valley leads the league in free throw percentage (79.8) and three-point field goal percentage (38.5), while Idaho is tops in three-pointers per game (10.0).
Individually, Utah Valley’s Katie Kuklok and Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outfield lead the WAC in scoring (21.5), while Bakersfield’s Batabe Zempare and Grand Canyon’s Johnna Brown are tied for the lead in rebounding (11.0). Asha McDonnell of Grand Canyon is tops in field goal percentage (75.0), while Utah Valley’s Georgia Agnew leads the league in assists (5.25). Katie Kuklok of Utah Valley and August Touchard of Grand Canyon both have perfect free throw shooting percentages. Three players – Grand Canyon’s Deanna Daniels, Johnna Brown and Judy Jones – are averaging a WAC-best 5.0 steals per game. Justine Johnson of Grand Canyon leads the WAC in three-point percentage (66.7), while Kuklok is tops in three-pointers per game (4.75). McDonnell leads the WAC in blocks (3.0), while Grand Canyon’s Kaitlyn Petersen and Erica Paskell are tops in assist/turnover ratio (999.00). Brown leads the league in offensive rebounds (7.0), while Zempare is tops in defensive rebounds (7.5). Seattle U’s Ashley Ward leads the league minutes per game (36.5).
UVU SETS FIELD GOAL RECORD, DOUGHTY SETS FREE THROW RECORD IN SAME GAME
Utah Valley shot a program-best 66.7 percent (46-of-69) from the field in its rout of Walla Walla on Nov. 9. The 114-point output was the third-highest total in program history and the 86-point margin of victory is the second-highest.
Individually, Tina Doughty went 16-of-18 from the free throw line on the game, setting a new single game record for free throws made and tying the previous mark for free throws attempted.
ORLEANS ARENA IN LAS VEGAS TO HOST 2014 WAC TOURNAMENT
The 2014 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the fourth year in a row. This year’s tournament includes all eight eligible teams and will be held Wednesday-Saturday, March 12-15.
THREE WAC PLAYERS NAMED SENIOR CLASS CANDIDATES
Three WAC student-athletes – Alyssa Charlston of Idaho, Eilise O’Connor of Kansas City and Kacie Sowell of Seattle U – are among the 30 candidates for the 2013-14 Senior CLASS Award® in women’s basketball. All three student-athletes were named to the Preseason All-WAC first team by both the coaches and the media, while Sowell was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans. The winner will be announced during the 2014 NCAA Women’s Final Four®.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Two of the first team All-WAC players from last year return for the 2013-14 season in Idaho’s Alyssa Charlston and reigning WAC Player of the Year Kacie Sowell of Seattle U. Other WAC honorees that return are Seattle U’s Sylvia Shephard, the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Year, who was named second team All-WAC and to the All-Defensive Team. Idaho’s Stacey Barr, a third team All-WAC selection, and Christina Salvatore, an All-Freshman honoree, round out the group.
Tierra Williams of Chicago State earned the Great West Sixth Woman Award and was named second team All-Great West, while teammates Paris Williams (honorable mention) and Layne Murphy (all-newcomer) were also honored.
Grand Canyon’s Judy Jones was named PacWest Player and Newcomer of the Year and was a first team all-conference pick.
Eilise O’Connor of Kansas City was named first team All-Summit, while KaeLynn Boyd of Texas-Pan American was named to the Great West All-Newcomer Team. Tina Doughty of Utah Valley was named second team All-Great West and to the all-newcomer team.
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
This season, WAC teams have as many as 27 games against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament or the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) last season. The complete list is below.
Games vs. NCAA Teams
Nov. 8 – Idaho at Gonzaga (Preseason WNIT)
Nov. 10 – Texas-Pan American at Texas Tech
Nov. 18 – New Mexico State at Cal Poly
Nov. 30 – *Idaho vs. California (Nugget Classic)
Dec. 6 – Idaho at Montana (Lady Griz Classic)
Dec. 7 – Bakersfield at Cal Poly
Dec. 15 – Bakersfield at California
Dec. 22 – Texas-Pan American at Wichita State (Wichita State Winter Classic)
Dec. 29 – Texas-Pan American at Oklahoma State
Games vs. WNIT Teams
Nov. 16 – Chicago State at Miami (Ohio)
Nov. 19 – Seattle U at Washington
Nov. 20 – Toledo at Kansas City
Nov. 23 – IUPUI at Chicago State
Nov. 26 – Idaho at San Diego
Nov. 26 – Kansas City at Missouri
Nov. 29 – Sam Houston State at Kansas City (Plaza Lights Classic)
Nov. 30 – Texas-Pan American vs. Northern Iowa (UTSA Classic)
Nov. 30 – Eastern Illinois at Kansas City (Plaza Lights Classic)
Dec. 7 – *Idaho vs. Appalachian State (Lady Griz Classic)
Dec. 8 – Seattle U at San Diego
Dec. 11 – Utah Valley at Utah
Dec. 14 – *Grand Canyon vs. East Carolina (Warhawk Classic)
Dec. 15 – Texas Southern at Kansas City
Dec. 20 – Idaho State at Utah Valley
Dec. 21 – Wyoming at Idaho
Dec. 23 – Hawai‘i at Grand Canyon
Dec. 28 – Seattle U at UC Santa Barbara
*possible match-up in tournament