AMANDA GRAPPE AND KRISHNA BAKER NAMED FIRST-TEAM
ALL-GSC WEST DIVISION SELECTION

        SOUTHAVEN, Mississippi – Arkansas Tech Golden Suns Basketball had two players named First-Team All-Gulf South Conference West Division selections released by the league office on the eve of the beginning of this year’s GSC Tournament.

The All-GSC teams are voted on by the league’s head coaches in their own respective divisions and the coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

Junior forward Amanda Grappe (Benton, Ark.) and senior forward Krishna Baker (Little Rock, Ark.) were both named First-Team selections by the West Division coaches.

“It was nice to see Amanda and Krishna honored as All-GSC West Division selections,” Golden Suns Head Coach Dave Wilbers said Tuesday. “It just shows you the respect those two players have from the coaches in the league. I am proud of both of them for all they’ve accomplished this season.”

East Division champion West Georgia and West Division champion Delta State, one of three remaining undefeated teams in Division II, were the big winners in this season’s postseason awards. Delta State senior guard Jennifer Rushing was the repeat winner as the West Division Player of the Year, while Delta State’s Sandra Rushing earned her third consecutive West Division Coach of the Year honor and Ouachita Baptist guard Gabby Coleman was named the West Division Freshman of the Year. Meanwhile in the East Division, West Georgia junior guard Dominic Cranford was named the division’s Player of the Year, while West Georgia’s Craig Roden was named the division’s Coach of the Year and Montevallo guard Shan Jones took home the division’s Freshman of the Year honor.

It was the second consecutive season that Grappe has been named a First-Team All-GSC West Division selection, while Baker moved up to the first team after earning Second-Team All-GSC West Division honors last season.

Grappe, who played in and started all 27 of Tech’s regular season games, averaged a team-best 16.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game and shot 47 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free throw line. In GSC play, Grappe averaged 15.8 points and 9.1 boards per game. She recorded a team-high nine double-doubles and had 23 double figure scoring games and scored 20 or more points in nine games. In addition, Grappe, who became the 14th Golden Sun player to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in her career this season, was named a five-time GSC West Division Player of the Week.

Baker, who was a Second-Team All-GSC West Division selection last season, moved up to first team this season after averaging 15.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and shot 55 percent from the field and 76 percent at the foul line. She tallied seven double-doubles and had 22 double figure scoring games, including scoring a career-high 34 points in Tech’s 94-53 win at Southern Arkansas. In GSC play, Baker, who was a two-time GSC West Division Player of the Week, averaged 17.8 points and pulled down 8.3 rebounds per game and shot 60 percent from the floor.

Joining Grappe and Baker on the West Division First-Team were Rushing, Harding guard Catherine McMenamy and Delta State center Lakira Boyd. Meanwhile, Arkansas-Monticello guard Andrea Dubose, Christian Brothers forward Crystal Shelton, Delta State guard Jessica Boyd, Harding forward Stacey Owens and Southern Arkansas guard Goldie White were on the Second-Team All-GSC West Division team.

Cranford is joined in the East Division First-Team by North Alabama forward Amber Rutherford, Valdosta State guard Carley Peterson, West Alabama Ashton Washington and West Georgia guard Tia Jackson.

Alabama-Huntsville teammates, guards Ashley Boykin and Tonya McKinney are joined on the East Division Second-Team by Valdosta State forward Nina Risto, West Georgia forward Ashley Huff and Montevallo guard tandem of Jamie Graham and Jennifer Hendricks

Tech, who is ranked 13th in the latest USA Today/ESPN WBCA D-II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll and is 23-4 overall on the season, will return to action Thursday, March 6 when they face West Alabama (13-14, 8-4 GSC East Division) in the quarterfinals of the 2008 GSC Tournament at the DeSoto County Civic Center in Southaven, Miss. Tip-off is set for 12:30 p.m. and will be the third match-up this season between the two teams.

 -- Tech Athletics --