Morales named Big Sky MVP for second time
3/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
University of Montana senior Mandy Morales has been named the 2009 Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player the league office announced Tuesday. The all-conference teams and individual awards were voted on recently by the Big Sky coaches.
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Morales, who was a unanimous first team All-Big Sky pick for the fourth straight year, also won the MVP award as a sophomore in 2006-07.
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Joining Morales on the six-player first team was senior Sonya Rogers.
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Senior Britney Lohman earned second team honors, while sophomore Sarah Ena was named honorable mention.
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Morales, who led Montana to the Big Sky regular-season title with a 15-1 league record, averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for the season. She averaged a league-high 18.3 points per game in conference play on 55.0 percent shooting.
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Morales ranked in the Big Sky???s top 10 in seven different statistical categories.
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???This was a most well-deserved award because Mandy had a great year,??? Lady Griz coach Robin Selvig said. ???We won the league last year and she didn???t win the MVP, so I think the coaches got it right this year. It???s very fitting.???
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Morales, who earlier this season became the first player in Big Sky history with 1,500 career points and 500 career assists, joins Shannon Cate as Montana???s only two-time Big Sky MVPs. Former Weber State standout Julie Gjertsen is the Big Sky Conference???s only other two-time winner.
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Morales, Cate, Hollie Tyler and Skyla Sisco are UM???s select group of four-time all-conference selections.
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After earning second team honors in 2006-07 and honorable mention honors in 2007-08, Rogers made first team as a senior. She averaged 13.8 points per game during the regular season and was Montana???s top 3-point threat, hitting 65 threes on 41.4 percent shooting. Rogers also led the Lady Griz at the line, shooting 83.9 percent (52-for-62).
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Rogers??? scoring spiked to 15.1 points per game in conference play as her 3-point field goal percentage rose to 49.4 percent. She scored in double figures in 12 of 16 Big Sky games and scored at least 20 points on five occasions.
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???This was a well-deserved award for Sonya as well, because she had a great year,??? Selvig said. ???She became a really good defender for us to go along with her explosive offensive play.???
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Lohman earned second team honors for the third straight year. She averaged 7.5 points per game and ranked second on the team in rebounding at 6.1 boards per game.
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Lohman, the league???s defensive player of the year as a junior, also led the Lady Griz in blocked shots with 37 and anchored a defense that is allowing just 55.0 points per game on 34.0 percent shooting, the third-best field goal percentage defense in the nation.
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???Britney is good on the offensive end,??? Selvig said, ???but she is also the heart and soul of our defense. With us winning the league, I think coaches understand what wins games.???
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Ena???s averages rose from 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a freshman to 10.7 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game as a sophomore. She had nine double-figure scoring and four double-figure rebounding games during league play and closed the regular season with three straight double-doubles.
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???I???m happy Sarah got recognized because she???s our leading rebounder and No. 3 scorer,??? Selvig said, ???so she???s been a huge part of our success this year. She had some big games for us down the stretch.???
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Along with Morales, Portland State senior Kelsey Kahle and PSU junior Claire Faucher were also unanimous picks to the first team. It was Kahle???s third time on the first team and Faucher???s second.
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Rounding out the six-player first team were Idaho State senior Michelle Grohs and Montana State junior Erica Perry.
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Joining Lohman on the second team were Idaho State senior Jenna Brown, Montana State senior Nubia Garcia, Northern Arizona senior Sade Cunningham, Sacramento State junior Charday Hunt and Northern Colorado sophomore Courtney Stoermer.
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Eleven of the 12 first- and second-team selections will be leading their teams this week at the Big Sky Conference tournament in Missoula.
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Eastern Washington???s Julie Piper, Portland State???s Kelli Valentine and Weber State???s Caitlin Anderson were also named honorable mention.
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Kahle was named Defensive Player of the Year, Weber State junior Sarah Conner Top Newcomer and Montana State???s Katie Bussey Outstanding Freshman.
