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Full ReleaseST. LOUIS -- Wichita State sophomore forward
Rangie Bessard was named 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Honorable Mention, it was announced today by the conference office.
Bessard, from Rosharon, Texas, played in 23 games for the Shockers after sitting out the fall semester per NCAA transfer rules, and averaged 15.5 points a game, the fifth-best overall average in the league. She also led WSU in rebounding at 7.7 rebounds a game, which ranked fourth overall in the MVC.
Seven repeat first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selections, including Drake's Caitlin Ingle and Lizzy Wendell, Loyola's Taylor Manuel, Missouri State's Kenzie Williams, UNI's Madison Weekly and Southern Illinois' Dyana Pierre and Rishonda Napier, headline a list of 11 players named to the all-conference first team unit.
Joining the seven repeat selections on the first team are Missouri State senior Tyonna Snow, a two-time honorable mention selection, and Southern Illinois senior Cartaesha Macklin, a 2013 honorable mention choice. Loyola junior Taylor Johnson and UNI senior Amber Sorenson, both first time honorees, round out the first team selections.
Evansville's Sara Dickey was named to the honorable mention team, earning all-conference honors for the third consecutive season. She is joined by UNI's Jen Keitel, a first team pick in 2014, and first-time selections Sara Rhine of Drake, Cierra Ceazer of Indiana State and Bessard.
Players from five different schools land spots on the MVC All-Defensive Team, including repeat selections Tyonna Snow of Missouri State and Dyana Pierre of Southern Illinois. Bradley's Tamya Sims, Loyola's Taylor Johnson and Taylor Manuel and UNI's Sharnae Lamer join the all-defensive unit as first-time honorees.
Three schools are represented on the MVC All-Freshman Team. Rhine, already an honorable mention selection, is joined by her Bulldog teammate Sammie Bachrodt, Illinois State's Shakeela Fowler and Loyola's Grace Goodhart and Dakota Vann on the five-player rookie team.
Missouri Valley Conference specialty awards for Player, Newcomer, Freshman, Defensive Player and Sixth Player of the Year will be announced, in addition to the league's Coach of the Year, at an awards ceremony in between Games 1 and 2 of the MVC Tournament on Thursday, March 10, at iWireless Center in Moline, Ill. The eighth-seeded Shockers play Bradley Game 1 at 4 p.m.
