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Trent May was named PacWest Coach of the Year for the fourth time.
May, Smith Take Top Honors in PacWest
3/8/2012 11:03:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Grand Canyon University grabbed top honors as the 2011-12 PacWest All-Conference Women’s Basketball Team was announced today. The Antelopes won their fifth PacWest crown in the last six seasons by defeating Cal Baptist and Dixie State last week.
Trent May was named PacWest Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his five years at the helm of the GCU women’s basketball program. He led the ‘Lopes to 15 conference wins for the third time and in his five years with GCU, has amassed a 67-13 conference record. May won his 100th game with the ‘Lopes on Feb. 4 and owns a 106-36 record overall. He also won the honor in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2010-11.
“I am very excited,” said May. “It is an honor. I could not do this without a great team and staff. It should be called the ‘Staff of the Year’ award. It takes a group of young ladies who believe in what we are trying to do and leave great effort on floor. They give all that they have.”
Maylinn Smith was named PacWest Player of the Year after leading the team and ranking among the PacWest’s best in a number of categories. She ranked first in the conference and 11th among all Division II players with an 87.5 free throw percentage. Among all PacWest players, Smith also ranked second with a 39.8 three-point percentage, third with 16.2 points-per-game and seventh with 75 assists.
Smith recorded double-digit scoring in 24-of-26 games this season, including a career-high 34 point performance at Academy of Art on Feb. 25, a game in which she also set a school record and tied the PacWest record with eight three-pointers made. She was named PacWest Player of the Week for her efforts in games contested Feb. 20-26 and also garnered PacWest Women’s Basketball Weekly Top-10 Honor Roll nods nine times throughout the season. Smith was named to the Daktronics Second-Team West Region as one of just two sophomores in the region to be placed on either the first or second teams.
“Of all the things that you want to receive as a player, Player of the Year in your conference is fantastic,” May added. “I am really proud of her and it was great to see her teammates so excited. It was a tough year for her and this was one of those shining moments. It was bittersweet. I am definitely proud of her and how she led the team this year and the way her teammates really supported her.”
This marks the third consecutive year that GCU has won the Player of the Year honor, as Samantha Murphy garnered the top honor in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Jallisa Butler garnered First-Team honors after ranking among the conference’s best with a 63.2 field goal percentage (second) and 9.5 rebounds-per-game (third). She also averaged 10.4 points-per-game while starting in each of GCU’s 26 regular season games this season.
Butler set career-highs in both rebounds and points this season with 19 boards on Dec. 10 at San Francisco State and 21 points on Jan. 28 at BYU-Hawai’i. She was named PacWest Conference Women’s Player of the Week twice, earning the honor for games contested Dec. 5-11 and Jan. 16-22.
“As a senior and what she has done for this program over the last two years has been incredible,” said May. “It was fun to watch her receive that award this morning. I think that is a special thing for her, and I know it meant a lot to her and it meant a lot to her teammates for her to receive that.”
The ‘Lopes will be in action tomorrow when they square off against Cal Poly Pomona in the first round of the NCAA Division II West Regional in San Diego, Calif. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. Arizona time.
PacWest Release
Trent May was named PacWest Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his five years at the helm of the GCU women’s basketball program. He led the ‘Lopes to 15 conference wins for the third time and in his five years with GCU, has amassed a 67-13 conference record. May won his 100th game with the ‘Lopes on Feb. 4 and owns a 106-36 record overall. He also won the honor in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2010-11.
“I am very excited,” said May. “It is an honor. I could not do this without a great team and staff. It should be called the ‘Staff of the Year’ award. It takes a group of young ladies who believe in what we are trying to do and leave great effort on floor. They give all that they have.”
Maylinn Smith was named PacWest Player of the Year after leading the team and ranking among the PacWest’s best in a number of categories. She ranked first in the conference and 11th among all Division II players with an 87.5 free throw percentage. Among all PacWest players, Smith also ranked second with a 39.8 three-point percentage, third with 16.2 points-per-game and seventh with 75 assists.
Smith recorded double-digit scoring in 24-of-26 games this season, including a career-high 34 point performance at Academy of Art on Feb. 25, a game in which she also set a school record and tied the PacWest record with eight three-pointers made. She was named PacWest Player of the Week for her efforts in games contested Feb. 20-26 and also garnered PacWest Women’s Basketball Weekly Top-10 Honor Roll nods nine times throughout the season. Smith was named to the Daktronics Second-Team West Region as one of just two sophomores in the region to be placed on either the first or second teams.
“Of all the things that you want to receive as a player, Player of the Year in your conference is fantastic,” May added. “I am really proud of her and it was great to see her teammates so excited. It was a tough year for her and this was one of those shining moments. It was bittersweet. I am definitely proud of her and how she led the team this year and the way her teammates really supported her.”
This marks the third consecutive year that GCU has won the Player of the Year honor, as Samantha Murphy garnered the top honor in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Jallisa Butler garnered First-Team honors after ranking among the conference’s best with a 63.2 field goal percentage (second) and 9.5 rebounds-per-game (third). She also averaged 10.4 points-per-game while starting in each of GCU’s 26 regular season games this season.
Butler set career-highs in both rebounds and points this season with 19 boards on Dec. 10 at San Francisco State and 21 points on Jan. 28 at BYU-Hawai’i. She was named PacWest Conference Women’s Player of the Week twice, earning the honor for games contested Dec. 5-11 and Jan. 16-22.
“As a senior and what she has done for this program over the last two years has been incredible,” said May. “It was fun to watch her receive that award this morning. I think that is a special thing for her, and I know it meant a lot to her and it meant a lot to her teammates for her to receive that.”
The ‘Lopes will be in action tomorrow when they square off against Cal Poly Pomona in the first round of the NCAA Division II West Regional in San Diego, Calif. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. Arizona time.
PacWest Release
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