RUSTON - Louisiana Tech seniors Trina Frierson and Amisha Carter were honored Tuesday being named first team all-state by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Lady Techster senior guard Amber Obaze and junior guard Erica Smith-Taylor were named third team all-state while junior guard Lakiste Barkus made the honorable mentioned squad in a vote of media members statewide.

LSU's Semoine Augustus was voted the state's Most Valuable Player, Southeastern Louisiana's Nakeya Downing earned Newcomer of the Year honors, Marjorie Bilinski of Loyola was the state's Freshman of the Year and Northwestern State's James Smith was Coach of the Year.

Carter, the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, averaged a double double for the Lady Techsters with 16.9 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while shooting 51 percent from the floor. The Oakland, Calif., native, who also earned the WAC Tournament MVP honor, led the league in scoring, rebounding and double doubles while helping Louisiana Tech to a 29-3 mark.

Frierson, who earned first team All-WAC honors and was a finalist for the Naismith National Player of the Year Award, finished second in the WAC in scoring at 16.2 points per game and was tied for fifth in rebounding at 7.0 rebounds a contest. The Vicksburg, Miss., native scored in double figures 28 times, including a game-high 22 points and12 rebounds in Tech's season-ending loss to Duke.

Obaze earned her accolades after averaging 11.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game for the Lady Techsters. The Dallas, Texas, native earned second team All-WAC honors and hit the biggest shot of the year for Tech - a 35-footer with 1.2 seconds remaining - in the Lady Techsters 87-84 win over Penn State on Dec. 21.

Smith-Taylor, also a second team All-WAC selection this year, averaged 13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.2 steals per game for Louisiana Tech this season. The Wheatley, Ark., native, who ranked in 11 of the 12 statistical categories in the WAC this season, was one of the top scorers in the NCAA Tournament averaging 23.3 points per game, including a career-high 30 in a win over Texas Tech.

Barkus averaged 8.8 points, 2.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals for the Lady Techsters despite playing only 22 minutes a game for Tech. The former junior college national player of the year scored in double digits 14 times for Tech off the bench, including a career-high 16 points in a 67-61 road win at Illinois.


First Team
Semoine Augustus, LSU
Amisha Carter, Louisiana Tech
Trina Frierson, Louisiana Tech
Temeka Johnson, LSU
La'Terrica Dobin, Northwestern State

Second Team
Anna Petrakova, UL-Lafayette
Doneeka Hodges, LSU
Amanda Bennett, Northwestern State
Patrice Carter, Louisiana College
Nina Randle, Louisiana-Monroe

Third Team
Erica Smith-Taylor, Louisiana Tech
Amber Obaze, Louisiana Tech
Diamond Crosby, Northwestern State
Nakeya Downing, Southeastern Louisiana
Marjorie Bilinski, Loyola

Player of the Year: Semoine Augustus, LSU
Newcomer of the Year: Nakeya Downing, Southeastern Louisiana
Freshman of the Year: Marjorie Bilinski, Loyola
Coach of the Year: James Smith, Northwestern State