March 7, 2010

RUSTON - Louisiana Tech senior forward Shanavia Dowdell was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year Sunday by a vote of the league coaches and was joined on the all-league first team by teammate Adrienne Johnson.

The duo was also named to the league's all-defensive team.

Dowdell becomes the fourth LA Tech player to ever repeat as conference player of the year, joining Venus Lacy (1989, 1990 American South), Vickie Johnson (1995, 1996 Sun Belt) and Cheryl Ford (2002, 2003 WAC).

She becomes the fifth player in WAC history to earn the award in back-to-back seasons. She led the WAC in scoring (17.9) and rebounding (12.4), and ranked second in field goal percentage (.520) and fifth in blocks (1.29). She also tallied a WAC-best 20 double-doubles, including 14 of 16 conference games, and was named WAC Player of the Week four times.

"Shanavia has put in a lot of hard work," said Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. "This was nothing that she planned. She has focused on team goals all season and her performance within our team concept earned her this honor. She truly deserves it. It's nice when (the other coaches in the league) acknowledge all of that hard work."

Despite being double and triple teamed on a nightly basis, Dowdell averaged 18.1 points, 13.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in the 16 league games while recording 14 double doubles, including 13 straight at one point of the season. The 13.7 rebounds per game is the second most in WAC history behind only Ford's 14.0 recorded in 2003.

"I'm honored," Dowdell said. "This award belongs to my teammates and my coaches as much as it does to me. I couldn't have accomplished any of this without them. There are so many great players in this league and to be considered by the coaches to be the best is really an honor.

"As excited as I am about it, this was not my goal for this year. My goal is to win the WAC and play in the NCAA Tournament. That's what my team and I are focused on heading into this week. It won't be easy."

Dowdell, who became the WAC's all-time leading rebounder yesterday in the loss to Boise State, had six 20-plus point performances in league games and nine games of 13 or more rebounds. She became only the third player in Division I basketball this year to record a 30-plus point, 20-plus rebound game in a road game at Nevada in January.

The Calera, Alabama native becomes LA Tech's seventh WAC Player of the Year recipient in nine years of affiliation with the league. She is the 18th conference player of the year recipient in the last 23 years of conference affiliation.

For the second straight year, Johnson earned a spot on both the all-conference first team and the all-defensive team and deservedly so.

Johnson averaged 15.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks during league play while shooting 44 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line. She scored in double figures in 13 games, including 11 games of 16-plus points. She also recorded four of her six double doubles in WAC contests.

"Adrienne is such an incredible athlete," Weatherspoon said. "She is really coming into her own and she is only a junior. She is polishing her game to become an even better basketball player. She can get even better with more teaching. She is a young lady who people will continue to hear more about.

"The bottom line is both of these young ladies are joys to coach. Everything they have earned, they deserve. However, the most important thing to them and to this team is winning the WAC championship."

Johnson will have the opportunity next season to join an elite group as only four LA Tech players have ever earned first team all-conference honors three times in their careers. Johnson could join a list that includes Vickie Johnson (4 times), Debra Williams, Amanda Wilson and Tamicha Jackson.

She could also join former Techster Amber Obaze as the only two players to ever earn all-defensive honors three times.

Fresno State head coach Adrian Wiggins was named the WAC Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to a perfect 16-0 mark and the regular season conference title.

Fresno State guard Jaleesa Ross was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year while Nevada's Tahnee Robinson was the league's Newcomer of the Year.

Dowdell and Johnson will lead Louisiana Tech into the WAC Tournament Wednesday when they face Utah State at 10:30 p.m. CT. The game can be heard on the LA Tech Sports Network on ESPN 97.7 FM with the pregame show beginning at 10 p.m.

2010 All-WAC First Team

Shanavia Dowdell, LA Tech

Tasha Harris, Boise State

Adrienne Johnson, LA Tech

Tahnee Robinson, Nevada

Jaleesa Ross, Fresno State

2010 All-WAC Second Team

Crystal Boyd, NMSU

Rachele Kloke, Idaho

Shavon Moore, Nevada

Hayley Munroe, Fresno State

Amber White, Utah State

2010 WAC All-Defensive Team

Alice Coddington, Utah State

Shanavia Dowdell, LA Tech

Adrienne Johnson, LA Tech

Shavon Moore, Nevada

Jaleesa Ross, Fresno State

2010 All-Freshman Team

Banna Diop, Utah State

Lauren Lenhardt, Boise State

Julia Marshall, Boise State

Rosie Moult, Fresno State

Camelia Rosen, New Mexico State

WAC Player of the Year: Shanavia Dowdell, LA Tech

WAC Defensive Player of the Year: Jaleesa Ross, Fresno State

WAC Newcomer of the Year: Tahnee Robinson, Nevada

WAC Coach of the Year: Adrian Wiggins, Fresno State