/
.
Virginia Women's Basketball Announces Postseason Awards
Story Links
CHARLOTTESVILLE – Virginia women’s basketball recently announced its 2012 postseason awards at a team dinner celebrating its season. Senior Ariana Moorer (Woodbridge, Va.) was named the team’s best offensive player while senior Chelsea Shine (Wayne, Pa.) earned the team’s best rebounder award.
Moorer was the Cavaliers’ leading scorer at 14.4 points per game, which was the seventh-highest average in the Atlantic Coast Conference. She also contributed 3.6 assists and 2.8 steals per game. Moorer’s postseason honors included second team all-state by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID) and second team All-ACC.
Shine was UVa’s leading rebounder (5.6 per game) and surpassed the 200-rebound mark for the season with 201 total boards. Shine had two double-digit rebounding games (10 at Providence and 12 vs. UMass) and was the team’s leading rebounder or co-leading rebounder on 11 occasions during the 2011-12 season.
Junior forward Telia McCall (Marietta, Ga.) was named UVa’s most improved player. McCall appeared in 34 games and averaged 5.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Her field goal percentage improved from 37 percent in 2010-11 to 43 percent in 2011-12 and she also improved statistically in points per game, rebounds per game, free throw percentage and three-point field goal percentage.
Junior center Simone Egwu (Odenton, Md.) earned the team’s academic award. Egwu is a two-time selection to the All-ACC Women’s Basketball Academic Team. She is a government major and has started every ACC game of her three-year career (44).
Junior guard Lexie Gerson (Fort Washington, Pa.) was named the team’s best defensive player. Gerson earned a spot on the 2012 ACC All-Defensive Team and led Virginia in total steals (113) and steals per game (3.1). Those totals consistently ranked in the top 15 nationally and top three in the conference all season.
Rounding out the postseason awards, sophomore Ataira Franklin (Bowie, Md.) was named the Practice Player of the Year. Franklin was an honorable mention All-ACC selection in 2011-12 and finished the season second in scoring (12.4 points per game).
Virginia wrapped up the first year of the Joanne Boyle era with a 25-11 overall record, 9-7 mark in conference play and quarterfinal appearance in the 2012 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Cavaliers posted 25 wins for the first time since the 1999-2000 season when that team finished with a 25-9 record.
Boyle completed her 10th season as a head coach with her eighth 20-win season.