March 6, 2006
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - UNLV's Sherry McCracklin was named to the Mountain West Conference Women's Basketball All-First Team for her second straight season, while Sheena Moore made her third straight appearance on the MWC All-Conference Second Team, it was announced Monday by the conference.
McCracklin, a 6-2 senior forward from Hazel Crest, Ill., was also a first team selection in 2003-04, and a third-team honoree in 2002-03, but missed last season with an Achilles injury. She currently ranks 11th in the conference in scoring with 12.2 ppg, and is seventh in rebounding with 6.6 rpg, fourth in field goal percentage (51.2%), and fourth in blocked shots as well (1.2 bpg). She was named MWC Player of the Week twice during the season.
Moore, a 5-7 senior guard from Lansing, Mich., was also a second-team selection in 2003-04 and 2004-05. She is leading the team in scoring for the second straight season with 13.3 ppg, seventh in the league, and also ranks eighth in assists (3.26 apg), seventh in steals (1.81 spg) . She also became the ninth Lady Rebel to score 1,500 career points on Saturday with 20 points at TCU, and is one of only four players to record 1,500 points and 300 assists in their career at UNLV.
Utah's Kim Smith earned her fourth straight MWC Player of the Year honor, once again earning co-honors, this time with BYU's Ambrosia Anderson. BYU head coach Jeff Judkins was named MWC Coach of the year after guiding the Cougars to their first-ever regular season championship with a 23-4 record, 13-3 in league play. Wyoming claimed the last two awards, as Megan McGuffey was named Newcomer of the Year while Hanna Zavecz was the Defensive Player of the Year.
The All-MWC first team was made up of McCracklin, Smith, Anderson, Zavecz, Shona Thorburn of Utah, and Dionne Marsh of New Mexico. On the second team was Moore, Natasha Lacy (TCU), Katie Montgomery (New Mexico), and Dani Kubik (BYU). The third team consisted of Adrianne Ross of TCU, Abbie Letz of New Mexico, Melissa Dennett of Colorado State, Alecia Steele of Air Force, and Jodi Bolerjack of Wyoming.
The Lady Rebels finished the regular season at 17-10, and finished sixth with a 9-7 record in league play. UNLV, the sixth seed in the 2006 MWC Tournament, will open against third-seeded and 21st-ranked New Mexico in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 2:30 pm (MST) at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo, in a game televised live by CSTV.
2005-06 Mountain West Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams
First Team
Sherry McCracklin, UNLVKim Smith, UtahShona Thorburn, UtahAmbrosia Anderson, BYUDionne Marsh, New MexicoHanna Zavecz, Wyoming
Second Team
Sheena Moore, UNLVNatasha Lacy, TCUKatie Montgomery, New MexicoDani Kubik, BYU
Third Team
Melissa Dennett, Colorado StateAdrianne Ross, TCUAbbie Letz, New MexicoAlecia Steele, Air ForceJodi Bolerjack, Wyoming
Coach of the YearJeff Judkins, BYU
Co-Players of the YearKim Smith, UtahAmbrosia Anderson, BYU
Newcomer of the YearMegan McGuffey, Wyoming
Defensive Player of the YearHanna Zavecz, Wyoming
