WISE - - UVA Wise redshirt junior Nia Vanzant was named Third-Team All-SAC after a season in which she averaged a team-high 16.5 points and became just the seventh woman in school history to eclipse 1,500 career points.
The Murfreesboro, Tenn. native played her best basketball down the stretch scoring in double figures in eight consecutive games to close the season. Vanzant's final game of the year punctuated the stretch as she erupted for a career-high 31 points in her team's victory over regionally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne.
An iron woman, Vanzant averaged 37.1 minutes per game to rank 11th in NCAA Division II in the category. The guard made a team-high 47.9 percent of her field goal attempts this winter but was even better in league play where she connected on 49.5 percent of her shots and averaged 16.8 points per game against SAC foes.
The honor is the third postseason honor of Vanzant's career. The 5-foot-7 guard earned Second-Team All-SAC in 2021 before being a Third-Team All-SAC pick a year ago.
A complete list of this year's award winners and statistical leaders may be found below:
2022-23 South Atlantic Conference Women's Basketball All-Conference
First Team
Quin Byrd, Limestone
Blaikley Crooks, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jami Tham, Tusculum
Lyrik Thorne, Catawba
Bryanna Troutman, Wingate
Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman
Second Team
Janiya Downs, Catawba
Emily Harman, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emily Hege, Wingate
Saquita Joyner, Lincoln Memorial
Diamond McDowell, Anderson
Alexa Smiddy, Lincoln Memorial
Third Team
Mya Belton, Tusculum
Hannah Clark, Wingate
Reagan McCray, Limestone
Sara McIntosh, Catawba
Blayre Shultz, Tusculum
Nia Vanzant, UVA Wise
All-Freshman
Emily Hege, Wingate
Tori Rutherford, Carson-Newman
Ashlyn Sheridan, Anderson
Alexa Smiddy, Lincoln Memorial
Breanna Yarber, Emory & Henry
Player of the Year
Lyrik Thorne, Catawba
Freshman of the Year
Emily Hege, Wingate
Defensive Player of the Year
Mya Belton, Tusculum
Coach of the Year
Terence McCutcheon, Catawba
Statistical Champions
Points Per Game – Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman; 21.0
Three-Pointers Per Game – Alexa Smiddy, Lincoln Memorial; 2.81
Rebounds Per Game – Jami Tham, Tusculum; 13.4
Blocked Shots Per Game – Kaitlin Bailey, UVA Wise; 2.00
Field Goal Percentage – Jami Tham, Tusculum; 51.6
Assists Per Game – Caitlin Ross, UVA Wise; 7.6
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Megan Landsiedel, Lenoir-Rhyne; 2.50
Steals Per Game – Lyrik Thorne, Catawba; 2.68
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage – Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman; 43.7
Free Throw Percentage – Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman; 93.0
Team Scoring Offense – Carson-Newman; 74.4
Team Steals Per Game – Catawba; 11.9
Team Field Goal Percentage – Wingate; 45.2
Team FG Percentage Defense – Tusculum; 35.5
Team Assists Per Game – Tusculum; 17.2
Team Rebounds Per Game – Tusculum; 42.96
Team Blocks Per Game – UVA Wise; 5.4
Team Three-Point FG Percentage – Wingate; 36.8
Team Scoring Defense – Tusculum; 56.0
Team Free Throw Percentage – Lenoir-Rhyne; 77.6
Team Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Tusculum; 1.14
