University of Tennessee Athletics
FOUR LADY VOL BASKETBALL PLAYERS RECEIVE ALL-SEC HONORS
February 26, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2002
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.
The third-ranked Tennessee Lady Vol basketball team, fresh off clinching its fifth consecutive Southeastern Conference regular-season title, have reaped more accolades as four players have been tabbed as All-SEC performers in an announcement made on Tuesday. Junior guard Kara Lawson was chosen as a unanimous choice for first-team accolades, while senior post player Michelle Snow was tabbed as a second-team honoree. Rookies Shyra Ely and Loree Moore were selected to the SEC All-Freshman squad.
Vanderbilt led the pack with three honorees on the first and second teams, including the SEC Player of the Year, Chantelle Anderson, while UT joined six other schools (Arkansas, LSU, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State and South Carolina) with two selections. Georgia freshman Kara Braxton was named as the conference's Freshman of the Year, as both the Lady Bulldogs and Lady Vols led with two rookie selections each. South Carolina's Susan Walvius was named as the league's Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Gamecocks to a 22-5 overall record.
For Lawson, a junior from Alexandria, Va., the award marks the third consecutive season that she has reaped a first-team nod from the league's coaches. She joins former Tennessee greats Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings and Bridgette Gordon as the only Lady Vols to receive first-team All-SEC honors in each of their first three seasons. Already the all-time leader in three-point shooting at Tennessee with 172 threes made, the Naismith Player of the Year finalist has taken on the mantle of team-leader this season. Over her last four games, the 5'9" guard has averaged 24.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg to help UT claim its 11th SEC regular-season title and fifth straight, while leading the team in scoring at a 15.5 ppg clip on the year. Lawson hit game-winning shots to defeat #21 Georgia and Mississippi State on the road and posted a career-high 30 points during the 93-65 home win over Arkansas.
Michelle Snow, a Pensacola, Fla., native, receives coaches' All-SEC team accolades for the third time in her career, but this year's selection marks her second appearance on the second team. The 6'5" post received a first-team nod following her junior season of 2000-01. Snow, a Naismith Player of the Year finalist added to her impressive list of credentials this year with the third dunk of her career, a one-handed jam, during the road win over #8 South Carolina. Currently, she ranks first on the team in blocks (45) and total rebounds (178), while her 13.1 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game averages are good for second on the squad. The senior now stands second all-time in blocked shots with 184, ninth in career rebounds with 852 and 15th in career scoring with 1,443 points.
For rookies Loree Moore (Carson, Calif.), and Shyra Ely (Indianapolis, Ind.), the all-freshman team honors reward both for their big contributions during the 2001-02 season.
The quick-handed Moore currently leads the team in assists (114), steals (66) and assist/turnover ratio (1.44). The 5'9" guard is also ahead of Lady Vol all-time assist leader Dawn Marsh's freshman assist per game record pace (3.9 apg) at 4.22, as she has dished at least four assists in 19 of the 27 games in which she has played.
Coming into Tennessee as the reigning Naismith High School Player of the Year, Ely has not disappointed anyone by ranking fourth on the squad in scoring (8.6 ppg) and third in rebounding average (5.3 rpg). She has scored in double figures 13 times in 26 games on the season and posted a career-high 22 points in this year's win over Southern California.
Tennessee will open the SEC Tournament on Friday, March 1st, against the winner of Alabama/Georgia at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time.
2002 All-Southeastern Conference Teams
First Team All-SEC
Vanessa Hayden, Florida
Kara Braxton, Georgia
Aiysha Smith, LSU
*LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State
Tan White, Mississippi State
Shaunzinski Gortman, South Carolina
Jocelyn Penn, South Carolina
*Kara Lawson, Tennessee
*Chantelle Anderson, Vanderbilt
Zuzi Klimesova, Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
Shondra Johnson, Alabama
Dana Cherry, Arkansas
Shameka Christon, Arkansas
Le'Coe Willingham, Auburn
Brandi McCain, Florida
Christi Thomas, Georgia
SeSe Helm, Kentucky
Doneeka Hodges, LSU
Michelle Snow, Tennessee
Ashley McElhiney, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
Natasha Brackett, Auburn
*Kara Braxton, Georgia
Ebony Felder, Georgia
*Tan White, Misssissippi State
Shyra Ely, Tennessee
Loree Moore, Tennessee
Player of the Year
Chantelle Anderson, Vanderbilt
Freshman of the Year
Kara Braxton, Georgia
Coach of the Year
Susan Walvius, South Carolina
* denotes unanimous choice
