April 16, 2010
RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech women's basketball fans got to celebrate a highly-successful season Friday night when more than 300 turned out for the annual Lady Techster Appreciate Banquet held at the University's Student Center.
Following a season that saw head coach Teresa Weatherspoon and Co. win 23 games, claim the Western Athletic Conference Tournament title and advance to the program's 26th NCAA Tournament, the event turned into a night that celebrated not only the present ... but the past.
Included in the crowd were four of the program's six Women's Basketball Hall of Fame members in former coaches Leon Barmore and Sonja Hogg and former All-Americans Teresa Weatherspoon and Pam Kelly-Flowers.
Kelly-Flowers, who led LA Tech to four straight Final Four appearances and two national titles during her playing days, was the featured speaker at the event. Kelly-Flowers, who now resides in Maryland with her husband Nathan and two sons John and Nathan, spoke of being a well-rounded student-athlete by giving the ABC's of life and athletics.
Following Kelly-Flowers speech, Weatherspoon and her coaching staff presented the year end awards.
Senior Shanavia Dowdell was presented the MVP award and the Rebounding Award. Dowdell was named the WAC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after leading the league in scoring at 18.0 points per game and rebounding at 12.4 rebounds per contest.
Dowdell led the country with 22 double doubles and ranked third nationally in rebounding. She also became the Western Athletic Conference's all-time leading rebounder during her career with 1,025.
The Calera, Alabama native was unstoppable at times during the year, becoming the first Lady Techster in more than 30 years to record 30 points and 20 rebounds in a game.
Junior Adrienne Johnson picked up some hardware of her own, earning the Defensive Award for her efforts this season. Johnson proved to be one of the top defensive players in the WAC, earning a spot on the league's all-defensive team for the second consecutive year.
The Franklin native average 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and led LA Tech in blocks with 51 and steals with 42. She ranked among the league leaders in both categories.
Sophomore guard Jasmine Bendolph was the recipient of the Lady Techster Award which goes to the player that best exemplifies what it means to wear the Columbia blue and red uniform. Bendolph had an outstanding sophomore season despite her well-documented battle with ulcerative colitis throughout the season.
The Mobile, Alabama native averaged 7.8 points, 3.8 assists and 3.1 rebounds for the Lady Techsters during the season while starting all 32 games. She also hit a number of big-time shots in clutch situations throughout the season, including the game-winner with 34 seconds to play in Tech's victory over Fresno State in the WAC Tournament championship game.
Freshman Reina Kempt's work in the classroom earned her the Academic Award. Kempt overcame the normal struggles that most freshmen have in making the adjustment to the college classroom to record the top grade point average on the team with a 3.33.
