R-MC's Crider is Freshman of the Year; Roberts is Honorable Mention
Selection
Salem, Va - Emory & Henry's Kelly Smith was named the Old Dominion
Athletic Conference (ODAC) Women's Basketball Player of the Year while
Randolph-Macon's Sarah Crider
was named Freshman of the Year. Bridgewater head coach Jean Willi
was selected by her peers as ODAC Coach of the Year.
A junior guard, Smith was named to the Centre College Tip-Off All-Tournament
Team, was named the ECWBCMA and ODAC Player of the Week and made the ODAC
Honor Roll twice this season. Smith was the first junior in Emory & Henry
history to reach the 1,000 career point milestone and currently ranks
sixth all-time at E&H with 1,127 points. She broke the school's single
game scoring record with 36 in an overtime win over the Eagles. She also
holds the school record for career three-pointers with 139 and career
free throws made (334). Smith ranks second in the conference in steals,
(2.6/game), third in scoring (16.8ppg), fourth in free throw percentage
(79.3%), 15th in rebounds (6.6rpg), 12th in assists (2.6apg) and sixth
in three-point shooting (33.0%). She helped lead the Wasps to their most
wins since 1988.
Randolph-Macon's Sarah Crider was selected as the Freshman of
the Year. Crider led the Yellow Jackets in scoring with 14.9 points
per game and was second on the team in rebounding with 6.5 per game. She
was also fourth in assists (2.1/game) and tied for fourth in steals (1.3/game).
Crider led the team in scoring in 10 games and rebounding in four.
She also reached double digits in scoring in 16 games and in rebounding
in three games, with three double-doubles. Her career-highs to date include
24 points twice, 12 rebounds against Eastern Mennonite, five assists against
the Hornets, five steals against W&L, three blocked shots at EMU and 39
minutes played twice.
Also honored from Randolph-Macon was junior forward Meredith
Roberts, a Honorable Mention selection. Arguably the top player
on the Yellow Jacket squad this season, Roberts is the team's leading
rebounder (7.6 rpg), is tied for second in scoring (12.0 ppg), and is
second in both assists (3.0 apg) and steals (1.5 spg). She has been a
true leader for Randolph-Macon, doing many things that don't even show
up in the statistics.
Head coach Jean Willi led Bridgewater to a 17-3 conference mark and the
number one seed in the upcoming ODAC Women's Basketball Tournament. The
Eagles finished the regular season 20-4 overall and, in the process, gave
Willi her 100th career victory in just her fifth year. This season marks
Bridgewater's fifth consecutive 20-win season. It is also the second straight
ODAC regular-season title for the Eagles. Coach Willi has won at least
20 games in each of her five seasons as the Eagles head coach and her
career record currently stands at 108-28 (.794).
Below is a complete listing of the All-ODAC First and Second Teams and
Honorable Mention selections:
First Team
Kelly Smith, Emory & Henry
Emily Mullet, Eastern Mennonite
Crystal Barrett, Roanoke
Jessica Mentz, Washington and Lee
Sarah Hagood, Bridgewater Angela Osborn, Bridgewater
Second Team
Katrina Williams, Roanoke
Arden Miller, Guilford
Amanda Osborn, Bridgewater
Erin Beacham, Guilford
Angela Osborn, Bridgewater
Honorable Mention
Meredith Roberts (RMC)
Jenny Gibson (E&H)
Megan Babst (W&L)
Suzanne Webb (RC)
Rosse Hopkins (HU)
Johari Bass (LC)
Tomorrow Lofton (VWC)
Beth Carter (LC)
Mandy Nichols (HU)
Kristen Leake (VWC)
Amy Evans (GC).
Player of the Year: Kelly Smith, Emory & Henry
Freshman of the Year: Sarah Crider, Randolph-Macon
Coach of the Year: Jean Willi, Bridgewater