ATLANTA (March 16, 2016) – Jatoria Carter of Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama, is the 2016 WBCA NAIA Player of the Year and headlines the 2016 WBCA NAIA All-America Team, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced today.
Carter, a 5-foot-2 senior guard started in all 32 games for the Warhawks as they head into the 2016 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. During those 32 games, she led the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) in points (20.8), assists (5.1) and steals (3.8) per game. She posted a career-best 38 points against nationally ranked Shawnee State on Dec. 22 and became the 15th member of the Auburn Montgomery 1,000 Point Club on Feb. 25, 2016.
The Montgomery, Alabama, native, was named the SSAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year this season, while she also earned first-team all-conference honors.
Carter will be hoping to lead the Warhawks as they play Vanguard University in the first round of the NAIA tournament on Thursday, March 17th.
The WBCA presents the player of the year award annually to the top player in five WBCA membership divisions (NCAA Divisions II, III, NAIA, junior/community college and high school).
“The WBCA is delighted to name Jatoria as the 2016 WBCA NAIA Player of the Year,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “Jatoria has played an integral role in guiding her team to an extraordinary season, and is very deserving of this distinguished honor. The WBCA applauds Jatoria for her hard work, dedication and contributions to the game during the 2015-16 season.”
The 10-member team was selected by a vote of the selection committee. The committee is composed of one representative from each of the nine geographical regions and a chairperson. The members of the 2016 WBCA NAIA Coaches’ All-America Team are as follows:
| Name | Institution | Year | Pos. | Height |
| Natalee Faupel | Montana State-Northern | Junior | Guard | 5’10” |
| Lindsey Burd | Campbellsville | Senior | Forward | 5’10” |
| Jatoria Carter | Auburn-Montgomery | Senior | Guard | 5’2” |
| Taleeah Cross | Freed-Hardeman | Junior | Guard | 5’6” |
| Whitney Gathright | Xavier Univ. of Louisiana | Senior | Guard | 5’4” |
| Abbey Hengesbach | Olivet Nazarene | Senior | Guard | 5’9” |
| Alex Kneeland | Mount Marty College | Senior | Guard | 5’9” |
| Kara Krolicki | Saint Xavier | Sophomore | Guard | 5’7” |
| Melissa Norman | Vanguard | Senior | Center | 6’2” |
| Daniela Wallen | Oklahoma City University | Junior | Forward | 5’11” |
“The 10 members of the 2016 WBCA NAIA Coaches’ All-America Team are well deserving of this recognition, and the WBCA congratulates them for their accomplishments this season,” said Donehew. “These young women have worked to elevate themselves and their teams to an elite level and through their exceptional talents on the basketball court, they have lifted the women’s game.”
The following have been recognized as Coaches’ All-America Team Honorable Mentions in the NAIA division:
| Name | Institution | Year | Pos. | Height |
| Petrolina Chilaka | Columbia College (Mo.) | Senior | Guard | 5’8” |
| Kassidy De Jong | Northwestern College | Freshman | Guard | 5’10” |
| Samantha Doucette | Vanguard | Senior | Guard/Forward | 5’11” |
| Jessica Foster | Georgetown College | Senior | Guard/Forward | 6’1” |
| Emily Fox | Campbellsville | Junior | Guard | 5’8” |
| Sydney Greiner | St. Ambrose | Senior | Guard | 5’9” |
| Taylor Hamilton | Our Lady of the Lake | Senior | Guard | 5’3” |
| Erin Legel | Great Falls | Senior | Guard | 5’5” |
| Aundrea Matchen | Univ. of Pikeville | Sophomore | Guard | 5’7” |
| Caelyn Orlandi | Lewis-Clark State | Junior | Guard | 5’9” |
| Miranda Palmer | Huntington | Junior | Guard | 5’6” |
| Alyssa Ramos | Southeastern | Junior | Guard | 5’6” |
| Charnelle Reed | St. Francis | Junior | Forward | 5’10” |
| Chanel Roberts | Lindsey Wilson | Junior | Forward | 5’8” |
| Ashley Romig | Ottawa | Junior | Center | 6’0” |
| Chayla Rutledge | Benedictine College | Senior | Forward | 5’11” |
| Christin Strawbridge | Southeastern | Junior | Forward | 6’2” |
| Brandy Uchtman | College of the Ozarks | Senior | Forward | 6’0” |
| Martessia Williams | Bethel Univ. (Tenn.) | Senior | Guard | 5’7” |
| Hannah Wisdom | College of the Ozarks | Junior | Guard | 5’5” |
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About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association promotes women’s basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.