Trinity Johnson is Named the Big South Defensive Player of the Year While Two Other Spartans Collect Post Season Honors Ahead of the Big South Women's Basketball Tournament

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The USC Upstate women's basketball team capped the 2023-2024 regular season with several Big South post season honors including one First Team All-Conference honoree, one Big South honorable mention, one Big South All-Academic honoree, and Big South Defensive Player of the Year honors, as was announced by the conference Tuesday afternoon.

Trinity Johnson was not only named to the Big South All-Conference First Team but was also named the Big South Defensive Player of the Year after an exceptional 2023-2024 season. Johnson appeared in 28 of Upstate's contests, making 26 starts for a team high 905 minutes played. She finished the season leading the team in assists with 132 as well as 284 points, 116 rebounds, 61 steals, and three blocks. Johnson earned one Big South Player of the Week honor through the season and made her way into the Big South record books after hitting 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists in her career. She finished the regular season leading Upstate in assists in 22 games, points in eight games, and rebounds in two games. Johnson proved her ability on offense and defense alike this season as she had 60 rebounds this season, 52 percent of them being defensive rebounds (86.6%). Along with her 52 rebounds, Johnson led the Spartans in steals with 40, which is second most in the Big South conference. Johnson also finished the season raked 22nd in the Big South for rebounds.

Isabell West collected a Big South honorable mention after her first season in a Spartan uniform. West led the Spartans scoring all season with 299 points, averaging 10.3 points per game, as well as led in rebounds with 197 and blocks with 19. Although she only started her senior night game against Winthrop, West was first off the bench in 28 of Upstate's 29 contests, was the only player to earn a double-double this season both of which were against top contender Radford and had two games scoring over 20 points. Despite being named Big South Player of the Week only once, West proved time and time again that she was dangerous in the paint and finished the regular season with a .509 field goal percentage as well as a .500 three-point percentage and a .739 free throw percentage.

Jeni Levine earned her place on the Big South All-Academic team after not only finishing the regular season with 224 points, averaging 8.3 points per game, 56 rebounds, 36 assists, 43 steals, and three blocks but doing so while maintaining a spotless 4.0 GPA as she works towards her bachelor's in exercise and sport science.

2023-24 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE

First-Team All-Conference

Lauren Bevis, High Point

Ashlyn Traylor-Walker, Radford

Trinity Johnson, USC Upstate

Kennedi Jackson, Charleston Southern

Ashley Hawkins, Gardner-Webb

Second-Team All-Conference

Bryanna Brady, Presbyterian

Catherine Alben, Charleston Southern

McKinley Brooks-Sumpter, UNC Asheville

Tilda Sjökvist, Presbyterian

Nakyah Terrell, High Point

Honorable Mention All-Conference

Isabell West, USC Upstate

Taniya Hanner, Radford

Jada Ryce, Winthrop

Marissa Gasaway, Winthrop

Janay Turner, Longwood

All-Freshman Team

Anaya Harris, Gardner-Webb

Joi Williams, Radford

Terissa Lavoile-Brice, Radford

Lauren Bailey, Gardner-Webb

Otaifo Esenabhalu, Longwood

All-Academic Team

Jordan Berry, Charleston Southern

Ashley Hawkins, Gardner-Webb

Callie Scheier, High Point

Bailey Williams, Longwood

Tilda Sjökvist, Presbyterian

Olivia Wagner, Radford

Millie Brown, UNC Asheville

Jeni Levine, USC Upstate

Jada Ryce, Winthrop

Player of the Year

Lauren Bevis, High Point

Freshman of the Year

Anaya Harris, Gardner-Webb

Defensive Player of the Year

Trinity Johnson

Newcomer of the Year

Ashley Hawkins, Gardner-Webb

Coach of the Year

Chelsea Banbury, High Point

Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Ashley Hawkins, Gardner-Webb

Up Next for the Spartans
The winner between No. 2 USC Upstate and No. 7 Longwood will advance to the semifinals and play the winner between No. 3 Radford and No. 6 Winthrop on Mar. 9 at 8:00 p.m.

Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateWBB @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateWBB @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans

Players Mentioned

Trinity Johnson

Jeni Levine

Isabell West

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