Cassidy Barrios Voted Women’s Basketball Player of the Year
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls junior guard Cassidy Barrios is the 2017-18 Southland Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, the league announced Monday along with the all-conference teams. Southland yearly awards are presented by
Ready Nutrition.
Lamar leads the conference with four total selections, followed by Central Arkansas with three. Abilene Christian, Houston Baptist, UIW, New Orleans, Nicholls, Southeastern Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi earned one spot each. All five first team selections are returning all-conference picks from last season while New Orleans senior guard Randi Brown is on her third all-conference team. Second team honorees Taylin Underwood, Kiandra Bowers and Kierra Jordan are all two-time selections.
Barrios was a true all-around player for the Colonels in the regular season as she ranked in the top 10 against league opponents in scoring, rebounding, assists, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, steals and blocks. She averaged 18.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists. She earned Southland Player of the Week a conference-best five times this season and recorded 15 overall double-doubles. Her well-rounded resume also landed her a spot on the All-Defensive Team.
Chastadie Barrs of Lamar earned her third consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award to headline the All-Defensive Team. The junior guard comfortably leads the nation in steals (186) and steals per game (6.64) and needs just six more to become the single-season leader in Division I history. Natalie White of Florida A&M tallied 191 in 1995. In conference play, the Cardinals rank second in scoring defense, allowing just 55.6 points per game.
Lamar earned another individual superlative in Jadyn Pimentel, tabbed as the Freshman of the Year. The St. Louis, Mo., native ranked third in conference play with 2.6 steals per game while averaging 6.2 points and 2.8 assists per game.
Stephen F. Austin’s Imani Johnson was named the Newcomer of the Year. The junior transfer from Southeast Missouri State started in all 18 league contests, averaging 7.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
Lamar’s fifth-year head coach Robin Harmony was voted the Southland Coach of the Year after leading the Cardinals to an outright regular season championship. It is Lamar’s third title overall, first since 2010 and first outright championship. LU posted a 22-6 record this season (17-1 SLC) while leading the league in scoring offense (75.9), scoring margin (+20.4), assists per game (15.8) and steals per game (17.7). She now holds a 91-59 overall record with Lamar.
All-conference teams and individual awards are nominated and voted upon by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. Voting for oneself or one's own players/coaches is not permitted. To receive honorable mention, a player must appear on at least 25 percent of ballots.
Sights are now set on the
2018 Southland Conference Basketball Tournament, tipping off this week at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. The women's first round begins on Thursday, March 8.
Player of the Year: Cassidy Barrios, Nicholls
Defensive Player of the Year: Chastadie Barrs, Lamar
Freshman of the Year: Jadyn Pimentel, Lamar
Newcomer of the Year: Imani Johnson, Stephen F. Austin
Coach of the Year: Robin Harmony, Lamar
2018 Women’s Basketball All-Conference First Team
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Cassidy Barrios2 |
Nicholls |
G |
Jr. |
Raceland, La. |
| Randi Brown3 |
New Orleans |
G |
Sr. |
Houma, La. |
| Chastadie Barrs2 |
Lamar |
G |
Jr. |
DeSoto, Texas |
| Stevi Parker2 |
Stephen F. Austin |
F. |
Sr. |
Bixby, Okla. |
| Moe Kinard2 |
Lamar |
G |
Jr. |
New Iberia, La. |
2018 Women’s Basketball All-Conference Second Team
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Taylin Underwood2 |
Southeastern Louisiana |
G |
Sr. |
Livingston, La. |
| Taylor Baudoin |
Central Arkansas |
F |
Sr. |
Columbus, Miss. |
| Kiandra Bowers2 |
Lamar |
C/P |
Gr. |
West Palm Beach, Fla. |
| Kierra Jordan2 |
Central Arkansas |
C |
Sr. |
Jackson, Miss. |
| Brittany Mbamalu |
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi |
G |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
2018 Women’s Basketball All-Conference Third Team
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Breanna Wright |
Abilene Christian |
G |
So. |
Jarrell, Texas |
| DeA’ngela Mathis |
Lamar |
G |
Sr. |
Bradenton, Fla. |
| Imani Robinson |
UIW |
G |
So. |
Round Rock, Texas |
| Amanda Johnson |
Houston Baptist |
G |
Jr. |
Georgetown, Texas |
| Kamry Orr |
Central Arkansas |
G |
Jr. |
Little Rock, Ark. |
2 Two-time All-Conference selection
3 Three-time All-Conference selection
Honorable Mention: Taylor Jackson, Stephen F. Austin; Emma Young, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Shania Woods, New Orleans; Caitlyn Davis, McNeese; Channell Hayes, Stephen F. Austin; Kayla Mundy, New Orleans.
2018 Women’s Basketball All-Defensive Team
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
| Chastadie Barrs3 |
Lamar |
G |
Jr. |
DeSoto, Texas |
| Cassidy Barrios |
Nicholls |
G |
Jr. |
Raceland, La. |
| Kiandra Bowers |
Lamar |
C/P |
Gr. |
West Palm Beach, Fla. |
| Stevi Parker |
Stephen F. Austin |
F. |
Sr. |
Bixby, Okla. |
| Taylor Sells |
Central Arkansas |
G |
So. |
Tulsa, Okla. |
3 Three-time All-Defensive selection