Copney and Starling Pick up A-Sun Postseason Honors
3/5/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie Parker, kparker@uscupstate.edu
MACON, Ga. – The Atlantic Sun Conference released the 2013 women's basketball postseason awards Tuesday afternoon with USC Upstate's Tee'Ara Copney taking home Second Team All-Atlantic Sun honors, while Brittany Starling was named to the A-Sun All-Freshmen Team.
Copney closes out her career at Upstate as a four-time A-Sun All-Conference selection. She led the Spartans during her senior campaign, averaging 13.1 points per game to rank sixth in the league in scoring, while pulling down 4.0 rebounds a contest. Copney tops the A-Sun at the line this season, shooting 89.2 percent. The guard ranks second in the A-Sun with 2.5 steals an outing, after setting the program career record for swipes earlier this season with 280 total steals.
The Asheville, N.C., native scored double figures 20 times this season, including 13 during A-Sun play. She had seven 20-point outings with five coming against conference opponents. Copney tallied a season-best 23 points twice, once at Lipscomb Jan. 7 and then against North Florida Jan. 28.
"I am very happy for both Tee'Ara and Brittany," said Upstate Head Coach Tammy George. "It's great recognition for our team and our program."
After being named A-Sun Newcomer of the Week twice this season, Starling wrapped up her rookie season with All-Freshmen Team honors. She posted a league-leading 53.1 field goal percentage and tops the A-Sun in conference only play, shooting 54.1 percent from the floor. The freshman center was second on the team for Upstate, averaging 10.0 points per game to rank 19th in the A-Sun. She paced the Spartans on the boards with 6.2 rebounds a contest to rank 14th in the league.
Starling notched four double-doubles during her freshman campaign, all during A-Sun play. The Sumter, S.C., native recorded 16 double-digit scoring performances with 12 coming in A-Sun play. She scored double figures in nine of the last 11 games, including a nine-point effort against Lipscomb Feb. 4. Starling tallied a career-best 21 points, against North Florida Jan. 28 and grabbed a career-high 15 boards against Jacksonville Jan. 26.
Copney and Starling will lead No. 4 seeded Spartans to the 2013 General Shale Atlantic Sun Women's Basketball Championship hosted by Mercer at Hawkins Arena later this week. Upstate will look for its first tournament win Thursday, March 7, taking on No. 5 seed North Florida at 6 p.m. Follow Upstate women's basketball this season on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
The Complete Atlantic Sun All-Conference Teams are Listed Below
|
2013 First-Team All-Atlantic Sun
|
||||
| Pos. | School (First Place Votes) |
Cl. |
Hometown | Major |
| *G |
Brittany Kennedy, FGCU | Sr. |
Spokane, Wash. | Social Work |
| G |
Sarah Hansen, FGCU | Jr. |
McKean, Pa. | Chemistry |
| G |
Precious Bridges, Mercer | So. |
West Palm Beach, Fla. | Business |
| G |
Kendra Grant, Mercer |
Jr. |
Macon, Ga. |
Psuchology |
| G |
Victoria McGowan, Stetson | Sr. |
Inkster, Mich. | Sport Management |
| Player of the Year: Sarah Hansen, FGCU |
||||
| Defensive Player of the Year: Brittany Kennedy, FGCU |
||||
| Freshman of the Year: Queen Alford, Jacksonville |
||||
| Coach of the Year: Karl Smesko, FGCU |
||||
| * - Unanimous Selection | ||||
|
2013 Second-Team All-Atlantic Sun
|
||||
| Pos. | School (First Place Votes) |
Cl. |
Hometown | Major |
| G |
Queen Alford, Jacksonville |
Fr. |
Decatur, Ga. |
Undeclared |
| F |
Tiara Hopper, Northern Ky. | Sr. |
Louisville, Ky. | Organizational Leadership |
| G |
Tee'Ara Copney, USC Upstate |
Sr. |
Asheville, N.C. | Sociology |
| G |
Shanasa Sanders, Stetson |
Sr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
Business |
| G |
Sasha Sims, Stetson |
Jr. |
Fayetteville, Ga. | Sport Management |
|
2013 Atlantic Sun Freshman Team
|
||||
| Pos. | School (First Place Votes) |
Cl. |
Hometown | Major |
| *G |
Queen Alford, Jacksonville |
Fr. |
Decatur, Ga. | Undeclared |
| G |
Jaime Gluesing, FGCU | Fr. |
Solon, Ohio | Human Performance |
| F |
Alex Banks, Lipscomb |
Fr. |
Hendersonville, Tenn. |
Marketing |
| G |
Rianna Gayheart, Northern Ky. |
Fr. |
Owenton, Ky. |
Organizational Leadership |
| C |
Brittany Starling, USC Upstate | Fr. |
Sumter, S.C. |
Exercise Science |
| * - Unanimous Selection | ||||
