Four SUU Women; 4 SUU Men Receive WAC Honors

CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah University women's basketball team had four Thunderbirds selected for All-Conference awards in Southern Utah's inaugural season in the Western Athletic Conference.

Tracy Sanders - Coach of the Year

Sanders is in her fifth year at the helm of the Thunderbirds. In only her first season in the Western Athletic Conference, Sanders led Southern Utah to a 20-9 overall record with a 16-2 conquest in WAC play, earning her squad the regular season conference championship. Sanders has won over 10 games in each of her last four seasons at Southern Utah.

Lizzy Williamson - Defensive Player of the Year, All-WAC Second Team, WAC All-Defensive Team

Williamson is having her best season as a T-Bird. Williamson averages a double-double by scoring 10.0 points per game and corralling 10.2 rebounds a game and anchors the Thunderbirds defense with 2.3 blocks each game. Williamson recorded 68 total blocks during the season and amassed six blocks on two separate occasions.

Tomekia Whitman - Sixth Woman of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, All-WAC Second Team, WAC All-Newcomer Team

Whitman made a significant impact during her first season with Southern Utah. Whitman joins the Thunderbirds after winning back-to-back regular season conference championships for Idaho State. Whitman sparks the offense with 11.7 points off of the bench in 23.2 minutes of action. Whitman has scored in double figures 11 times, including a season-high 25 points against California Baptist.

Cherita Daugherty - All-WAC First Team

Daugherty leads SUU in scoring with a career-high 15.0 points per game, and contributes 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Daugherty has scored double-digits in 20 games this season, including a career-high 32 points in a win against UTRGV. Daugherty leads the team in free throw percentage, making 83% of her attempts, as well as recording a team-high 1.1 steals each game.

The full list of All-Conference awards is listed below:

Player of the Year: Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington

Defensive Player of the Year: Lizzy Williamson, Southern Utah

Sixth Woman of the Year: Tomekia Whitman, Southern Utah

Freshman of the Year: Jordan Harrison, Stephen F. Austin

Newcomer of the Year: Tomekia Whitman, Southern Utah

Coach of the Year: Tracy Sanders, Southern Utah

All-WAC First Team (Alphabetical by School)

Maleeah Langstaff, Abilene Christian

Trinity San Antonio, California Baptist

Tiarra Brown, Grand Canyon

Cherita Daugherty, Southern Utah

Avery Brittingham, Stephen F. Austin

Aiyana Johnson, Stephen F. Austin

Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington

Breaunna Gillen, Utah Tech

All-WAC Second Team (Alphabetical by School)

Grace Schmidt, California Baptist

Madelyn Batista, Sam Houston

Tomekia Whitman, Southern Utah

Lizzy Williamson, Southern Utah

Jordan Harrison, Stephen F. Austin

Teresa Da Silva, Tarleton

Kayla White, UT Arlington

Iyana Dorsey, UTRGV

WAC All-Defensive Team (Alphabetical by School)

Tiarra Brown, Grand Canyon

Aaliyah Collins, Grand Canyon

Lizzy Williamson, Southern Utah

Aiyana Johnson, Stephen F. Austin

Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington

WAC All-Newcomer Team (Alphabetical by School)

Maleeah Langstaff, Abilene Christian

Aspen Thornton, Abilene Christian

Teresa Da Silva, Tarleton

Tomekia Whitman, Southern Utah

Kayla White, UT Arlington

The Southern Utah Men's Basketball team had four athletes receive All-Conference awards for their play in the Thunderbirds' inaugural season in the Western Athletic Conference.

Dee Barnes - Sixth Man Of The Year

Barnes is in his third year with the T-Birds and is having a massive impact on the team's success this year. Coming off the bench, Barnes averages 5.8 points per game in just 14 minutes per game. He's shooting a team-high 42% from three and has the fourth most offensive rebounds on the team as well.

Tevian Jones - WAC First-Team All-Conference

Jones is having his best season as a Thunderbird. Averaging third-highest points per game in the WAC at 17.8. Jones is second in the conference in 20-point games with 14 on the year, and is second in the conference in free-throw makes and has made 28 straight to head into post-season play. Tevian has scored in double-digits 27 times this year and will look to lead SUU throughout the postseason.

Maizen Fausett - WAC Second-Team All-Conference

Fausett has had an unbelievable season in his fifth year with the T-Birds. Averaging 12.5 points per game (15th in the WAC) and 6.5 rebounds per game (9th in the WAC). Maizen has four double-double performances on the year and has six games with at least 10 rebounds. Fausett is shooting 50% from the field and 39% from three on the year. He now has 1500 career points at SUU which is third all-time and he's first all-time in total rebounds with 921.

Drake Allen - WAC All-Newcomer Team

Allen is playing his first year with SUU and has started every contest so far. He is averaging the 10th most assists per game in the conference at 3.5 and is seventh in the conference in steals per game with 1.3. Allen is shooting the second-best three-point percentage on the team at 41% on just 61 attempts.

The full list of All-Conference awards is listed below:

Player of the Year: Qua Grant, Sam Houston

Defensive Player of the Year: Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley

Sixth Man of the Year: Dee Barnes, Southern Utah

Freshman of the Year: Chendall Weaver, UT Arlington

Newcomer of the Year: Aziz Bandaogo, Utah Valley

Coach of the Year: Mark Madsen, Utah Valley

All-WAC First Team (Alphabetical by School)

Ray Harrison, Grand Canyon

Qua Grant, Sam Houston

Cameron Tyson, Seattle U

Tevian Jones, Southern Utah