Horizon League Announces Women's Basketball All-League Teams and Specialty Award Winners

March 10, 2008

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee junior center Traci Edwards was selected as the Player of the Year, while University of Wisconsin-Green Bay head coach Matt Bollant and Wright State University head coach Bridgett Williams earned Co-Coach of the Year recognition as the Horizon League office announced its women's basketball specialty award winners and All-League teams on Monday (March 10).

WSU freshman guard Shey Peddy and senior forward Sierra Crayton also took home individual honors as they were named the League's respective Newcomer and Sixth Player of the Year awards. Cleveland State University junior guard Dominique Butler took home the circuit's top Defensive honor.

Edwards lived up to her billing as the Preseason Player of the Year as she led the League in scoring with (20.3 points per game) and rebounding (9.9 rebounds per game) for the second straight season. The 6-foot, 2-inch center topped the League rebounding charts for the third-consecutive year.

In addition, Edwards finished second in field goal percentage and set a League and school record for free-throws made in a season with 199 surpassing the mark of 179 set by Loyola University Chicago's Sherry Metz (1991-92). The UWM senior also recorded 16 double-doubles and 14 games with 20 points or more, including a 45-point effort against Loyola (Feb. 21).

Bollant and Williams shared the Horizon League Coach of the Year honor, the first such occurrence in League history. In 2007-08 Bollant guided the Green Bay to its 10th consecutive regular-season crown (17-1 Horizon League, 25-4 overall) in his first season at the helm, while Williams directed Wright State to an 11-7 circuit ledger (14-15 overall) and a second-place finish in the League standings after being picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. Green Bay is in the midst of a 12-game winning streak, while Wright State enters the League tournament having won seven of its last 11 games.

Peddy, became the first player from Wright State to be named Newcomer of the Year since 2005 when teammate Whitney Lewis took home the honor. The Boston, Mass., native receives the award after finishing the 2007-08 regular-season campaign ranked fourth in League scoring (15.9 points per game). Peddy also had six games this season where she scored 20 points or more. In addition, the WSU guard paced the League in steals with 3.3 per game.

Butler, received the League's inaugural Defensive Player of the Year award. This season, the CSU guard finished second in the circuit with 2.72 steals per game and helped anchor a Vikings defense which limited its opponents to 63.8 points per game (ranking fourth in the League).

Crayton was awarded the League's initial Sixth Player of the Year accolade. In 2007-08, Crayton averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in coming off the bench for the Raiders.

Edwards was the only repeat First-Team selection and leads a group that includes junior center Lade Akande (Butler University), sophomore guard Kailey Klein (Cleveland State), junior guard Rachel Porath (Green Bay) and Peddy (Wright State). Akande, Klein, Porath and Edwards were each selected to the Preseason First-Team All-League squad back in October.

The All-League Second-Team featured no repeat selections from last year as senior guard Kayla Groh (Green Bay), junior center Lavesa Glover (Green Bay), sophomore guard Jessie Miller (University of Illinois Chicago), junior guard Agnieszka Kulaga (Valparaiso University) and Tiara Scott (Youngstown State University) were all selected to the squad.

Butler headlines the All-Defensive Team that includes Groh (Green Bay), junior guard Turquoise McCain (Milwaukee), Peddy (Wright State) and senior guard Lauren Branson (Youngstown State).

The All-Newcomer Team features two Loyola players in freshman guard Brittany Boeke and sophomore guard Keisha Collins, WSU's Peddy and freshman guard LaShawna Thomas and YSU's Scott.

The Horizon League Championship begins on Monday (March 10) when (No. 10 seed) University of Detroit Mercy heads to (No. 7) Youngstown State and (No.8 seed) UIC (No. 9 seed) welcomes Loyola. Both first round game times are set for 7:00 p.m. local time.

The quarterfinal round will begin on Wednesday (March 12) as (No. 1 seed) Green Bay awaits the winner of Monday's Loyola-UIC matchup, (No. 4 seed) Cleveland State plays host to (No. 5 seed) Butler, (No. 6 seed) Valparaiso heads North to face (No. 3 seed) Milwaukee and Wright State will face the winner of the Youngstown State-Detroit contest. All games will be played at 7:00 p.m. local time.

All-League First Team
Lade Akande, Butler, Jr., C, 6-1
Kailey Klein, Cleveland State, So., G, 5-11
Rachel Porath, Green Bay, Jr., G, 5-10
Traci Edwards, Milwaukee, Jr., C, 6-2
Sheylani Peddy, Wright State, Fr., G, 5-6


All-League Second Team
Kayla Groh, Green Bay, Sr., G, 5-7
Lavesa Glover, Green Bay, Jr., C, 6-3
Jessie Miller, UIC, So., G, 5-8
Agnieszka Kulaga, Valparaiso, Jr., G, 5-6
Tiara Scott, Youngstown State, Sr., G, 5-6


All-Newcomer Team
Brittany Boeke, Loyola, Fr., F, 6-1
Keisha Collins, Loyola, So., G, 5-6
Sheylani Peddy, Wright State, Fr., G, 5-6
LaShawna Thomas, Wright State, Fr., G, 5-6
Tiara Scott, Youngstown State, Jr., F, 6-0


All-Defensive Team
Dominique Butler, Cleveland State, Jr., G, 5-9
Kayla Groh, Green Bay, Sr., G, 5-7
Turquoise McCain, Milwaukee, Jr., G, 5-10
Shey Peddy, Wright State, Fr., G, 5-6
Lauren Branson, Youngstown State, Sr., G, 5-6


Player of the Year
Traci Edwards, Milwaukee, Jr., C, 6-2


Co-Coach of the Year
Matt Bollant, Green Bay
Bridgett Williams, Wright State


Newcomer of the Year
Sheylani Peddy, Wright State, Fr., G, 5-6


Defensive Player of the Year
Dominique Butler, Cleveland State, Jr., G, 5-9


Sixth Player of the Year
Sierra Crayton, Wright State, Sr., F, 5-11