Utah Valley State's Robyn Fairbanks was named the Division I Independent Women's Basketball Player of the Year, South Dakota State's Courtney Grimsrud was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year and Jackrabbits' head coach Aaron Johnston was named the Coach of Year to highlight the 2006-07 Division I All-Independent Women's Basketball postseason awards announced today.
North Dakota State's Lisa Bue was named to the Division I all-independent first team, Brenda Slyt was a second team selection, Emily Moran earned a spot on the Division I Independent Newcomer team and Amanda Girodat received honorable mention on all-independent team. The team and awards was voted on by head coaches and sports information/media directors from the 11 NCAA Division I independent colleges and universities.
Bue was also named to the United Basketball League (scheduling alliance) first team, while Slyt was a second team UBL selection and Moran was named to the UBL newcomer team.
Bue, a 5-foot-10 junior from Austin, Minn., averaged 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.32 assists and 1.48 steals per game in 29.3 minutes of playing time in starting all 25 games for Bison. She connected on 40.7 percent (133-327) from field including 38.5 percent (25-65) from three-point line and hit 77.2 percent (61-79) from foul line.
Bue reached double-figures in scoring in 20 of 25 games including four with 20+ points including a career-high 21 points against Middle Tennessee State (1-2-07) and Minnesota (12-22-06). She earned Katherine R. Burgum Classic Player of the Game honors with 21 points in win over Minnesota. She recorded her second career "double-double" at East Carolina with 13 points, 10 rebounds
In the Division I Independent statistics, Bue was No. 4 in three-point shooting, No. 5 in scoring and No. 10 in field goal shooting. She was named to Division I Independent All-Academic team. Bue led the Bison in scoring in 11 games and in rebounding six times. She was named MVP of Montana State/Wingate Inn Classic (Nov. 24-25, 2006).
Slyt, a 6-foot junior from Climax, Minn., averaged 12.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1 steal in 26.8 minutes per game in starting all 25 games for North Dakota State. She connected on 42.8 percent (119-278) from the field including 26.3 percent from three-point and hit 83.6 percent (46-55) from foul line.
During the season, Slyt made 27 free throws in a row from the first half against Montana State (11-25-06) to the second of two free throws against Wisconsin-Green Bay (1-10-07), one shy of the NDSU record. She reached double-figures in scoring in 19 games including three with 20+ points. Slyt netted a career-high 23 points at UTPA (1-25-07).
In the Division I independent stats, she was No. 1 in free throw shooting, No. 8 in field goal shooting and No. 10 in scoring. Slyt was named to Montana State/Wingate Inn Thanksgiving Classic all-tournament team. She led the Bison in scoring on eight occasions and rebounding twice.
Moran,a 5-7 junior from Fremont, Neb. (Northeast Nebraska CC), averaged 8.2 points, 1.8 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1 steal in 18.8 minutes playing time per game in starting in 14 of 25 for NDSU including the last seven games in a row. She connected on 34.3 (68-198) from the field including 31.4 percent (33-105) from three-point and hit 76.1 percent (35-46) from foul line.
Moran earned Division I Independent Player of the Week (2-20-07) and Division I Independent Newcomer of the Week (3-6-07) awards. She stepped up performance vs. Division I independents, averaging 13.9 points, 2.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 27.3 minutes per game in 10 games. Moran reached double-figure scoring in nine games including the final seven.
Moran netted a NDSU season-high 27 points against UTPA (2-17-07) and 25 points at IPFW (3-3-07) and hit season-high six three-pointers against UTPA and IPFW. She led the Bison scoring in four games.
Girodat, a 5-8 senior from Kindred, N.D., started in 18 of 19 games played after missing first six games coming back from a knee injury. The Bison were 12-7 after she returned to the lineup. Girodat averaged 5 points, 5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 30.7 minutes per game. She led Division I independents in assists
NDSU completed the 2007 season with a 14-11 record, including 7-3 mark against Division I independents. The Bison defeated a pair of tournament teams in Southland Conference regular season and tournament champion Texas-Arlington (NCAA) and Minnesota (WNIT). NDSU played eight tournament teams overall in Arkansas State (WNIT), East Carolina (NCAA), Middle Tennessee (NCAA), Oral Roberts (NCAA), South Dakota State (WNIT) and Wisconsin-Green Bay (NCAA). The Bison finished No. 138 in the CBN-RPI rankings.
United Basketball League First Team
Robyn Fairbanks ? Utah Valley State
Megan Vogel ? South Dakota State
Johnna Lewis-Carlisle ? IPFW
Lisa Bue ? North Dakota State
Ashley Johnson ? IPFW
UBL Second Team
Brenda Slyt ? North Dakota State
Sandy Marvin ? Utah Valley State
Jennifer Warkenthien ? South Dakota State
Julie McMurray ? Utah Valley State
MaHogany Daniel ? University of Texas-Pan American
UBL All-Newcomer Team
LeKeisha Gray ? University of Texas-Pan American
Julie McMurray ? Utah Valley State
Emily Moran ? North Dakota State
Tamara Vaughn ? University of Texas-Pan American
Maria Boever ? South Dakota State
UBL Player of the Year
Robyn Fairbanks ? Utah Valley State
UBL Newcomer of the Year
LeKeisha Gray ? University of Texas-Pan American
UBL Defensive Player of the Year
Courtney Grimsrud ? South Dakota State
UBL Coach of the Year
Aaron Johnston ? South Dakota State
