SFA’s Porsha Roberts Southland Women’s Basketball Player of the Year
KATY, Texas – Stephen F. Austin senior center Porsha Roberts has been named the 2014-15 Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Tuesday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference basketball teams.
Additionally, Roberts earned defensive player of the year honors for the second consecutive season, New Orleans freshman guard Randi Brown was tabbed the league’s top freshman and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi junior guard Shay Weaver was named newcomer of the year. Stephen F. Austin Brandon Schneider and Nicholls DoBee Plaisance were named Co-Coaches of the Year.
Roberts, a native of Waco, Texas (La Vega H. S.), helped the Ladyjacks to a first-place, league-best 17th overall Southland regular-season title. SFA share the regular-season title with Lamar last season. The senior ranks second nationally in field-goal percentage shooting 62.3 percent from field-goal range and eight in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game grabbing five boards per game throughout the season. Roberts led the Ladyjacks in scoring (17.2) and rebounding (9.4) while also leading the league in blocked shots (2.2) in conference action. The defensive player of the year helped her team hold conference opponents to 58.7 points per game while grabbing 11 double-doubles on the season. This marks the third time an SFA player earned defender of the year after Roberts claimed the title in 2014 to join Nikki Carr (2008).
Brown ended the regular season with back-to-back player of the week honors while leading the Privateers with 14.5 points per league game, good for eighth in conference competition. The Houma, La. (Central Catholic H.S.), native, was the best freshman from the charity stripe, shooting 78.6 percent (44-for-56), which was tops on New Orleans in league play. Brown averaged 2.5 rebounds and just shy of one (0.9) assists per conference game while grabbing 11 steals. This marks the first individual award for New Orleans in program history.
Weaver made an immediate impact for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi after transferring from Marshall. The junior guard from Arlington, Texas (Arlington H.S.), led the Islanders and was fifth in the Southland in scoring with 15.7 points per game. She led the Islanders in 3-point field goals made with 2.2 (29-of-63) per game, placing her fifth in the league in all games. Weaver averaged 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Weaver is the second A&M-Corpus Christi player to be named the league’s top newcomer after former teammate and Marshall transfer Jasmine Shaw claimed the honors last season.
Schneider and Plaisance each earned their first coach of the year honors. Schneider led the Ladyjacks to back-to-back regular-season titles and a 16-2 conference mark and 23-6 overall. Stephen F. Austin completed conference play undefeated on its home court, suffering just one loss during regular-season action. The team enters the Southland Conference Tournament riding an 11-game winning streak to earn the No. 1 seed in the tournament. This marks the ninth time an SFA coach has earned coach of the year honors with the last going to Lee Ann Riley (2006).
Plaisance’s Colonels earned the No. 3 seed heading into the conference tournament after posting a13-5 Southland record. Nicholls went on a seven-game winning streak while claiming victories in 10 of their last 12 games to earn a top spot in the standings. Plaisance is the second coach in program to earn this honor, joining Louise “Do” Bonin (1999).
Roberts, a two-time first-team and one second-team all-conference selection, is joined on the first team by Lamar junior guard JaMeisha Edwards, Northwestern State junior guard Janelle Perez, two-time all-conference McNeese State junior guard Allison Baggett and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi junior guard Shay Weaver. Edwards is fourth in scoring (16.3), third in free-throw percentage (.852) and second in 3-pointers made (2.6). Perez is sixth in the league in scoring (14.7) and seventh in assists (3.4). Baggett is third in the league in scoring (16.4) and second in free-throw percentage (.888). Weaver is fifth in the league in scoring (15.7) and 3-pointers made (2.2).
The second team was comprised of Nicholls senior guard Jenny Nash, Sam Houston State junior guard Shernise Robertson, Stephen F. Austin sophomore guard Taylor Ross, Central Arkansas sophomore guard Maggie Proffitt and McNeese State junior guard Jayln Johnson.
Two first-team all-conference and two third-team all-conference selections also highlight the five-member all-defensive team, including Roberts, the back-to-back defensive player of the year. The other first-team selection joining her on the all-defensive team is Lamar’s Edwards. Third-team all-conference featured on the all-defensive team is Stephen F. Austin senior forward Tierany Henderson. Abilene Christian sophomore forward Suzzy Dimba and Houston Baptist junior forward Anna Strickland also received all-defensive honors. This is Dimba’s second all-defensive honors after grabbing 8.6 boards and 2.6 steal per game. Strickland led her team in rebounds (8.1) and blocked shots (1.9).
Nine conference teams placed at least one member on the all-conference teams. Stephen F. Austin led all teams with three selections while Lamar, McNeese State, Central Arkansas and Abilene Christian each had two selections. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Nicholls and Sam Houston State each had one all-conference selection. Houston Baptist had one student-athlete earn all-defensive honors.
Three all-conference players were also recognized last season. Roberts earned first-team all-conference for the second time and second-team all-conference in 2013. Baggett and D. Edwards also earned all-conference honors last season. Additionally, four student-athletes were named honorable mention all-conference after receiving votes from at least 25 percent of the coaches and sports information directors.
All three all-conference teams and the all-defensive team are listed below.
The Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament begins Wednesday at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. The first four games of the women’s tournament will be streamed live for free on the Southland Conference Digital Network, including Southland.org/watch and the league’s mobile and tablet apps. The semifinals will be available solely on ESPN3, while the championship game will be covered exclusively on CBS Sports Network. Tickets for the tournament are available through Ticketmaster or at the Merrell Center box office.
2014-15 All-Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Teams
|
First Team |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
Porsha Roberts3 |
Stephen F. Austin |
C |
Sr. |
Waco, Texas |
|
JaMeisha Edwards |
Lamar |
G |
Jr. |
Crockett, Texas |
|
Janelle Perez |
Northwestern State |
G |
Jr. |
El Paso, Texas |
|
Allison Baggett2 |
McNeese State |
G |
Jr. |
Iota, La. |
|
Shay Weaver |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
G |
Jr. |
Arlington, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second Team |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
Jenny Nash |
Nicholls |
G |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
|
Shernise Robertson |
Sam Houston State |
G |
Jr. |
Cypress, Texas |
|
Taylor Ross |
Stephen F. Austin |
G |
So. |
Pflugerville, Texas |
|
Maggie Proffitt |
Central Arkansas |
G |
So. |
Columbus, Miss. |
|
Jayln Johnson |
McNeese State |
G |
Jr. |
Jennings, La. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Third Team |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
Tierany Henderson |
Stephen F. Austin |
F |
Sr. |
Austin, Texas |
|
Dominique Edwards2 |
Lamar |
F |
Gs. |
Grand Prairie, Texas |
|
Brianna Mullins |
Central Arkansas |
G |
So. |
Rosston, Ark. |
|
Suzzy Dimba |
Abilene Christian |
F |
So. |
Lubbock, Texas |
|
Sydney Shelstead |
Abilene Christian |
F |
So. |
Mineral Wells, Texas |
Honorable Mention: Olivia Fouty, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Nanna Pool, Southeastern Louisiana; Tia Charles, Nicholls; Keisha Lee, Northwestern State.
2014-15 Southland Conference Women’s All-Defensive Teams
|
Player |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
Porsha Roberts2 |
Stephen F. Austin |
C |
Sr. |
Waco, Texas |
|
Suzzy Dimba |
Abilene Christian |
F |
So. |
Lubbock, Texas |
|
Tierany Henderson |
Stephen F. Austin |
F |
Sr. |
Austin, Texas |
|
JaMeisha Edwards |
Lamar |
G |
Jr. |
Crockett, Texas |
|
Anna Strickland |
Houston Baptist |
F |
Jr. |
The Woodlands, Texas |
Player of the Year: Porsha Roberts, Stephen F. Austin
Newcomer of the Year: Shay Weaver, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Freshman of the Year: Randi Brown, New Orleans
Defensive Player of the Year: Porsha Roberts, Stephen F. Austin
Co-Coach of the Year: DoBee Plaisance, Nicholls
Co-Coach of the Year: Brandon Schneider, Stephen F. Austin
2 Two-Time All-Conference Selection
3 Two-Time All-Conference Selection