Martin Luther's Erica Babinec headlines UMAC Women's Basketball awards
ST. PAUL -- Four seniors and one junior comprised the 2011-2012 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Women's Basketball All-Conference First Team. Bethany Lutheran College, Martin Luther College and Northland College each had one first team honoree, while the University of Minnesota Morris was represented twice on the all-conference list.
Martin Luther's Erica Babinec headlined the five first teamers that also included Bethany Lutheran's Jessica Englund, Northland's Maria Mackey, and Minnesota Morris' Jennifer Noordmans and Emily Mehr. Babinec was voted as the UMAC Player of the Year following a standout senior season that included top 10 statistical finishes in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals while leading the Knights to a share of the conference championship and to the Knights' first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament.
Bethany Lutheran, Minnesota Morris and Northwestern College each had three individuals selected for the total amount of 17 UMAC All-Conference awards distributed to the first (5) and second (5) teams and an honorable mention squad (7).
The College of St. Scholastica's Mariah Hovick and Minnesota Morris' Kendra Wycoff shared the UMAC Freshman of the Year award. Hovik posted top 10 finishes in points, assists and steals while Wycoff was third in three-point percentage. Wycoff's head coach, the Cougars' Tim Grove, was voted the coach of the year by his colleagues after Morris won at least a share of the UMAC title for the third consecutive season.
Northwestern College won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches to best represent sportsmanship throughout the entire season. Each team had one representative on the individual sportsmanship award list. The following participants best exemplified sportsmanship throughout the year:
Sarah Rosenau, Bethany Lutheran College
Taylor Fellbaum, College of St. Scholastica
Marry Voss, Crown College
Brittney Gossen, Martin Luther College
Maria Mackey, Northland College
Mollie Sir, Northwestern College
Chelsea Voorhees, Presentation College
Jennifer Noordmans, University of Minnesota Morris
Below is the full 2011-2012 UMAC Women's Basketball awards list.
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1st Team All-Conference
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Name
|
Institution
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Year
|
Position
|
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Jessica Englund
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Bethany Lutheran
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Senior
|
Center
|
|
* Erica Babinec
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Martin Luther College
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Senior
|
Guard
|
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Maria Mackey
|
Northland College
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Senior
|
Guard
|
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Jennifer Noordmans
|
University of Minnesota-Morris
|
Senior
|
Guard
|
|
Emily Mehr
|
University of Minnesota-Morris
|
Junior
|
Forward
|
|
2nd Team All-Conference
|
|
Name
|
Institution
|
Year
|
Position
|
|
Jade Pelzl
|
Bethany Lutheran College
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Sophomore
|
Guard
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|
# Mariah Hovick
|
College of St. Scholastica
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Freshman
|
Guard
|
|
Amanda Burk
|
Martin Luther College
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Sophomore
|
Forward
|
|
Jessica Fife
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Northwestern College
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Sophomore
|
Forward
|
|
Hannah Phillips
|
Presentation College
|
Sophomore
|
Guard
|
|
Honorable Mention All-Conference
|
|
Name
|
Institution
|
Year
|
Position
|
|
Anna Cepek
|
Bethany Lutheran College
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Senior
|
Forward
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|
Judy Mundt
|
Crown College
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Junior
|
Guard
|
|
Kayla Heisler
|
College of St. Scholastica
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Sophomore
|
Guard
|
|
Lulu Seelye
|
Northland College
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Senior
|
Guard
|
|
Kristin Sczublewski
|
Northwestern College
|
Senior
|
Guard
|
|
Chanel Madson
|
Northwestern College
|
Freshman
|
Guard
|
|
# Kendra Wycoff
|
University of Minnesota-Morris
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Freshman
|
Guard
|
|
All-Defensive Team
|
|
Name
|
Institution
|
Year
|
Position
|
|
Jade Pelzl
|
Bethany Lutheran College
|
Sophomore
|
Guard
|
|
Laura Amys
|
College of St. Scholastica
|
Senior
|
Forward
|
|
* Erica Babinec
|
Martin Luther College
|
Senior
|
Guard
|
|
Hannah Phillips
|
Presentation College
|
Sophomore
|
Guard
|
|
Jennifer Noordmans
|
University of Minnesota-Morris
|
Senior
|
Guard
|
* Player of the Year Award – Erica Babinec (Martin Luther College)
# Co-Freshman of the Year Award – Mariah Hovick (College of St. Scholastica)
# Co-Freshman of the Year Award – Kendra Wycoff (University of Minnesota-Morris)
Coach of the Year Award – Tim Grove (University of Minnesota-Morris)
Team Sportsmanship Award – Northwestern College