PLAYER OF THE YEAR SHAYLA BENNETT OF GULF COAST STATE COLLEGE HEADLINES 2018 WBCA TWO-YEAR COLLEGE COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA TEAM

ATLANTA (March 7, 2018) – Shayla Bennett of Gulf Coast State College is the 2018 WBCA Two-Year College Player of the Year and headlines the 2018 WBCA Two-Year College Coaches’ All-America team, announced today by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Bennett is currently averaging 20.5 points, 2.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game and led the Commodores to a 23-2 regular-season record. She leads the Panhandle Conference and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 8 in scoring. Bennett was named NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week on Jan. 30, 2018.

The WBCA presents the Player of the Year award annually to the top player in five of the six WBCA membership divisions (NCAA Divisions II, and III, NAIA, junior/community college and high school). The Player of the Year and the 10-member Coaches’ All-America team in each division are selected by a committee of WBCA member coaches in that division. The Wade Trophy is presented to the best player in NCAA Division I.

“The WBCA is pleased to name Shayla Bennett as the 2018 WBCA Two-Year College Player of the Year,” said Danielle Donehew, executive director of the WBCA. “Bennett has played an integral role in guiding her team to an extraordinary season and is very deserving of this distinguished honor. The WBCA applauds Shayla for her hard work, dedication and contributions to the game during the 2017-18 season.”

Here are the 2018 WBCA Two-Year College Coaches’ All-Americans:

Name

Institution

Year

Position

Esther Adenike

South Georgia Technical College

Sophomore

Forward

Shayla Bennett

Gulf Coast State College

Sophomore

Guard

Tran Brown

Northwest Kansas Technical College

Sophomore

Guard

Mariane Caravalho

Highland Community College (KS)

Sophomore

Guard

Sierra Green

Monroe Community College

Sophomore

Guard

Victoria Johnson

Hinds Community College

Freshman

Guard

Natasha Mack

Angelina College

Freshman

Center

Lanay Rodney

Monroe Community College

Sophomore

Forward

Jade Thurmon

Kilgore College

Sophomore

Guard

Dai'Shona Washington Polk

Owens Community College

Freshman

Guard

“The 10 members of the 2018 WBCA Two-Year College Coaches’ All-America Team are 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.”

Here are the student-athletes who received 2018 WBCA Two-Year College Coaches’ All-America honorable mention:

Name

Institution

Year

Position

Ganette Chism

Miami-Dade College

Freshman

Guard

Savannah Clark

Miami-Dade College

Sophomore

Guard

Rachel Dumoulin

Elgin Community College

Freshman

Guard/Forward

Jhileiya Dunlap

Gulf Coast State College

Sophomore

Forward

Anisha George

Moberly Area Community College

Sophomore

Center

Tia Hay

Salt Lake Community College

Sophomore

Guard

Katherin Ihnen

Minnesota West Community & Technical College

Sophomore

Forward

Doris Jones

Diablo Valley College

Sophomore

Guard

Bri Moore

Sierra College

Sophomore

Guard

Jade Mosier

Lake Michigan College

Sophomore

Forward

Jacqulynn Nakai

Pima Community College

Freshman

Guard

Brenda Pennington

Owens Community College

Sophomore

Guard

Cheah Rael-Whitsitt

Miami-Dade College

Sophomore

Forward

Brooke Reynolds

Central Maine Community College

Junior

Forward

Jaynelle Robinson

Monroe Community College

Sophomore

Center

Kasey Smit

Irvine Valley College

Sophomore

Forward

Alexis Tolefree

Jones County Junior College

Sophomore

Guard

Jon'Nae Vermillion

Mt. San Antonio College

Sophomore

Forward

Angelica Wiggins

Moberly Area Community College

Sophomore

Guard

 

About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit www.WBCA.org for more details about the Association.

 

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