FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2014
Courtesy of Bentley Athletics Communications
ERIE, Pa. – It's been a standout season thus far for the undefeated and number one-ranked Bentley University women's basketball team and three members of the team received major honors Monday night during the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Championship Banquet at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center.
Senior forward and Capital One Academic All-America of the Year for Division II Lauren Battista was named one of three finalists for the 2014 Women's Basketball Division II Player of the Year award, along with Jada Blackwell of Cal Poly Pomona and Sharaya Selsor of Colorado Mesa University.
"The WBCA congratulates these student-athletes on being named finalists for the 2014 DII Player of the Year award," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "These players have helped guide their teams to exceptional seasons and are seeing their hard work and dedication to the game pay off. I wish each of these women good luck at the WBCA Awards Show in Nashville."
In addition, the six-foot Battista was named to the 10-player WBCA Division II Coaches' All-America team for the third straight season and was joined on the All-America team by teammate Courtney Finn, a graduate student and five-foot-nine guard. It's the first time since 1992 that Bentley has had two players named to the prestigious team.
Battista also received Daktronics All-America First Team honors on Monday.
"We're thrilled for Lauren's selection to this year's DII WBCA All-America Team," said Bentley coach Barbara Stevens, who was also honored Monday night. "She epitomizes everything a coach would want in a student-athlete. It has been an honor to coach someone as dedicated and committed to being the best as Lauren.
"Courtney's selection as a WBCA All-American is so well deserved," praised Stevens. "We're so happy that her importance to our team and its success this season has been recognized. She is a relentless competitor who will do whatever it takes to help her team win."
Stevens was named the Russell Athletic/WBCA NCAA Division II East Region Coach of the Year, as well as a finalist for the inaugural Pat Summitt Trophy, which will be presented to the 2014 Russell Athletic/WBCA Division II NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year, which Stevens has won a record four times previously, including last season.
The National Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards will be announced during the fourth annual WBCA Awards Show on Monday, April 7 at the Omni Nashville Hotel, as part of the WBCA National Convention and in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four.
In addition, the six-foot Battista was also named to the Daktronics Division II All-America first team for the second time in three years by the nation's sports information directors earlier on Monday.
Battista, a three-time Academic All-America as well as a three-time All-America on the court, and Finn, a two-time first-team All-Northeast-10 selection, have led the Falcons to a 32-0 and the nation's number one ranking heading into the Elite Eight, which starts Tuesday with Bentley facing sixth-ranked Drury University (Mo.) at 8:30 pm.
Battista, Bentley's all-time leading scorer with 2,053 career points, averages 17.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and over three assists a game. Her field goal percentage is an impressive .585 and she also shoots .468 from three and .829 from the line.
Finn tops the unbeaten Falcons in rebounds (7.3), three-pointers (63) and free throws (110 with an .809 success rate) in addition to averaging 15.3 points and 3.3 assists. She enters the Elite Eight with 1,540 points, 31 shy of moving into the top ten in program history, and fourth all-time in three-pointers, six short of 200.
"Congratulations to the ten student-athletes named to the 2014 Division II Coaches' All-America Team," said Bass. "These young women added a step to their game that was above the rest and helped their team become better in all aspects."
Stevens, who has her team at the Elite Eight for the third time in four seasons, earned Regional Coach of the Year for the tenth time, including the third straight season. A 37-year head coach, she is fifth on the all-time women's basketball coaching win list with 914, having reached the 900 milestone back on Jan. 25.
This is the second time that a Stevens-coached Bentley team has entered the national quarterfinals with a perfect record, the previous occasion coming in 1992. Her team, which has tied the school record for consecutive wins, has outscored its opponents by 22.7 a game and also has a +11.9 rebound margin.
This is the first year the physical award presented to the six Russell Athletic/WBCA National Coaches of the Year (the three NCAA Divisions, NAIA, NJCAA and high school) has borne Summitt's name. It will be the only national coach of the year award to do so. The legendary University of Tennessee head coach, who stepped down in April 2012, is the winningest basketball coach (men's or women's) in NCAA Division I history with 1,098 career victories. Summitt led the Lady Vols to eight NCAA Division I national championships and was named the Russell Athletic/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year three times in her career.
"The WBCA congratulates Coach Stevens and the other regional coaches of the year on being named finalists for the Pat Summitt Trophy presented to the 2014 Russell Athletic/WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year," said Bass. "Each coach helped lead their team to outstanding seasons and was selected by their peers to be candidates for this honor. On behalf of the WBCA and its members, I wish all of these finalists the best of luck at the WBCA Awards show in Nashville."
"We would like to congratulate these coaches for being named finalists for the 2014 Russell Athletic/WBCA NCAA Division II Coach of the Year Award," said Senior Vice President General Manager of Russell Athletic, Robby Davis. "Each of these coaches embodies the team concept we embrace at our Company, and we are pleased to honor them for a fantastic season."
