2014-15 Women's Basketball All-Conference awards announced

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – The Appalachian Athletic Conference announced the 2014-15 Women's Basketball All-Conference Team on Wednesday, and Jenna Adams of Tennessee Wesleyan is the Player of the Year.

Others claiming top individual honors are Destiny Tolliver of Bluefield as the Defensive Player of the Year, Candace Rhodes of Point as the Freshman of the Year, and Jeff Rice of Tennessee Wesleyan as the Coach of the Year.

Tennessee Wesleyan also received the trophy for winning the AAC regular-season championship. Tennessee Wesleyan posted a 17-3 conference record to win the title by two games.

Adams paced Tennessee Wesleyan with 17.75 points per games and 10.786 rebounds per games. She currently ranks fourth in NAIA Division II in total rebounds (302) and seventh in rebounds per game. She twice earned AAC Player of the Week honors this season. Adams netted a season-high 28 points versus Point on Jan. 14 and hauled in season-best 19 rebounds against Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) on Nov. 8.

Joining Adams on the All-AAC First Team are: Tolliver of Bluefield; Megan Billingsby of Bryan; Azia Gibson of Columbia; Hayley Wyrick of Milligan; Dereese Owens of Point; Armeka Booker and Shira Buley of Tennessee Wesleyan; and Lydia Nash and Haley Perkins of Union.

Earning All-AAC Second Team honors are: Maryah Mazyck of Bluefield; Keila Formont and Kristin Lane of Bryan; Allison Jones and Chelsey Weddle of Milligan; Rhodes of Point; Kateca Favors, Carmen Lockhart and Erika Woodfin of Reinhardt; and Rhande Haskett of Truett-McConnell.

Tolliver leads the AAC in total blocks and blocks per game at 84 and 3.111, respectively, to help her snap the Defensive Player of the Year award. She ranks seventh nationally in both categories. In addition, Tolliver ranks fourth in the nation in rebounds per game (11.111) and fifth in total rebounds (300). She also averages 12.7 points per game. Tolliver recorded a conference-best 24 rebounds against Columbia on Jan. 17 and was one of two players in the league to post seven blocks in a game.

Joining Tolliver on the All-Defensive Team are: Favors and April Besley of Reinhardt; Buley and Melanie Barker of Tennessee Wesleyan; and Perkins of Union.

Rhodes snagged Freshman of the Year honors by averaging 13.48 points and 2.68 rebounds per game. In addition, she shot 78.6 percent from the foul line, making 81 of 103 attempts. Rhodes posted a season-high 28 points against Montreat on Dec. 6 and grabbed a season-best 10 rebounds versus Bluefield on Jan. 21.

Also making the All-Freshmen Team are: Hannah Calloway of Montreat; Catika Brown and Schelbi McKenzie of Point; JessAnn Nix of Reinhardt; Anna Murr of Truett-McConnell; and Nannilena White of Union.

Making the Champions of Character Team are: Jade McDaniel of Bluefield; Kelsey Brooks of Bryan; Taylor Smith of Columbia; Kylie Russell of Milligan; Charnay Ryland of Montreat; Jasmyne Miller of Point; Radville Autukaite of Reinhardt; Taylor Sehm-Crowley of St. Andrews; Buley of Tennessee Wesleyan; Natalie Johnson of Truett-McConnell; and Savannah Morrison of Union.

A total of 47 student-athletes were named to the Academic All-Conference Team. Columbia led the way with seven honorees with Bryan, Milligan and Reinhardt each placing six.

To view the complete all-conference awards list, please click here.