MACON, Ga. – A pair of Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball players have been honored by the Atlantic Sun Conference for their performance during the 2012-13 season.
Northern Kentucky’s Tiara Hopper has been selected All-Atlantic Sun Conference second team, while the Norse’s Rianna Gayheart earned a spot on the league’s All-Freshman squad. The A-Sun office announced the selections Tuesday as it prepares for the league’s postseason tournament, which is being held in Mercer’s Hawkins Arena this week.
Hopper and Gayheart helped the Norse post a 15-12 record in their first Division I campaign and clinch the program’s 30th consecutive winning season. Northern Kentucky also finished 12-6 in the A-Sun to capture fourth place in the league standings.
Hopper, a senior forward from Louisville, Ky., averaged 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. She also added 26 steals and shot 42.6 percent from the field this season. Hopper grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds in her final game, a 76-71 win over Jacksonville.
She collected three double-doubles as a senior, and her 22-point performance at Mercer on Feb. 23 helped Northern Kentucky halt theBears’ 12-game winning streak with a 69-60 triumph in Hawkins Arena.
Gayheart, a freshman guard from Owenton, Ky., averaged 8.1 points per game and led the team with 74 assists. She earned A-Sun Newcomer of the Week accolades twice while becoming one of the Norse’s clutch performers as the season progressed.
Gayheart netted a career-high 24 points during a win over USC Upstate in January, hitting six 3-pointers in that game. She also keyed the Norse’s season-ending victory over Jacksonville by scoring six points in the overtime.
Florida Gulf Coast’s Sarah Hansen was selected the A-Sun Player of the Year, while teammate Brittany Kennedayearned A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year accolades. Karl Smesko of FloridaGulf Coast was named A-Sun Coach of the Year, while Jacksonville’s Queen Alford received A-Sun Freshman of the Year honors.
First Team All-Atlantic Sun
Pos. Name School Cl. Hometown Academic Major
*G Brittany Kennedy FGCU Sr. Spokane, Wash. Social Work
G Sarah Hansen FGCU Jr. McKean, Pa. Chemistry
G Precious Bridges Mercer So. West Palm Beach, Fla. Business
G Kendra Grant Mercer Jr. Macon, Ga. Psychology
G Victoria McGowan Stetson Sr. Inkster, Mich. Sport Management
Second Team All-Atlantic Sun
Pos. Name School Cl. Hometown Academic Major
G Queen Alford Jacksonville Fr. Decatur, Ga. Undeclared
F Tiara Hopper Northern Kentucky Sr. Louisville, Ky. Organizational Leadership
G Tee’Ara Copney USC Upstate Sr. Asheville, N.C. Sociology
G Shanasa Sanders Stetson Sr. Jacksonville, Fla. Business
F Sasha Sims Stetson Jr. Fayetteville, Ga. Sport Management
Atlantic Sun Freshmen Team
Pos. Name School Cl. Hometown Academic Major
*G Queen Alford Jacksonville Fr. Decatur, Ga. Undeclared
G Jaime Gluesing FGCU Fr. Solon, Ohio Human Performance
F Alex Banks Lipscomb Fr. Hendersonville, Tenn. Marketing
G Rianna Gayheart Northern Kentucky Fr. Owenton, Ky. Organizational Leadership
C Brittany Starling USC Upstate Fr. Sumter, S.C. Exercise Science
*- Unanimous Choice
Player of the Year: Sarah Hansen, FGCU
Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Kennedy, FGCU
Freshman of the Year: Queen Alford, Jacksonville
Coach of the Year: Karl Smesko, FGCU
