Jay C. Upchurch
3/6/2006, 12:27 PM
DALLAS — Courtney Paris was named Big 12 Player of the Year by The Dallas Morning News, which announced its annual postseason awards on Monday morning. Paris was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team, while junior Chelsi Welch was named to the All-Improved Team. Sherri Coale was named Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Paris earned five honors from the Big 12 Coaches when the conference offices announced their awards on March 3, although Player of the Year was not one of those honors.
Since she was named player of the year, Paris was not up for DMN’s Freshman of the Year award, which went to Kelsey Griffin of Nebraska, or its All-Newcomer Team.
Paris joins Stacey Dales (2001 & 2002) and Phylesha Whaley as Sooners, who have been named Big 12 Player of the Year.
Thus far, Sherri Coale is the concensus Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Welch also earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors from the Big 12 Coaches.
Top-seeded OU (26-4 overall, 16-0 Big 12) will play the winner of No. 8 seed Texas (13-14, 7-9) and No. 9 seed Iowa State (15-11, 6-9) in the second round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Wednesday, March 8 at Noon CST. The Sooners have earned a bye in the first round, which will take place on Tuesday at Reunion Arena in Dallas.
The quarterfinal game will be broadcast nationally by Fox Sports Net with Bill Land on play-by-play and Brenda VanLengen on color commentary.
The Championship returns to Dallas for the third time in four years (2003-04, 06). Six different teams have won the nine Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships. Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas Tech have two titles each while Baylor, Colorado and Texas have one. Defending national champ Baylor claimed its first conference tournament championship at the ’05 event at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.
Tickets are still available through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 214-373-8000. Tickets will also be sold at Reunion Arena beginning Monday. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST) Monday and Friday and 10 a.m. to halftime of the last game on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. In addition, tickets are available at the American Airlines Center box office. Prices for single session tickets are $15 for reserved and $10 for general admission.
For more information on OU women’s basketball, visit www.soonersports.com.
Dallas Morning News Awards
Coach of the Year—Sherri Coale, Oklahoma
Player of the Year—Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
Freshman of the Year—Kelsey Griffin, Nebraska
All-Big 12 First Team
Lyndsey Medders, Iowa State
LaToya Bond, Missouri
Sophia Young, Baylor
LaToya Davis, Texas Tech
Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
All-Big 12 Second Team
Erin Grant, Texas Tech
Kiera Hardy, Nebraska
Tiffany Jackson, Texas
Crystal Kemp, Kansas
C’stelle N’Garsanet, Missouri
All-Newcomer Team
Shalee Lehning, Kansas State
Erika Arriaran, Texas
Takia Starks, Texas A&M
Shaunte Smith, Oklahoma State
Whitney Pegram, Oklahoma State
All-Improved Team
Angela Tisdale, Baylor
Twiggy McIntyre, Kansas State
Chelsi Welch, Oklahoma
Jackie McFarland, Colorado
Brittany Wilkins, Iowa State
OU Sports Info and Big 12 Conference
Paris earned five honors from the Big 12 Coaches when the conference offices announced their awards on March 3, although Player of the Year was not one of those honors.
Since she was named player of the year, Paris was not up for DMN’s Freshman of the Year award, which went to Kelsey Griffin of Nebraska, or its All-Newcomer Team.
Paris joins Stacey Dales (2001 & 2002) and Phylesha Whaley as Sooners, who have been named Big 12 Player of the Year.
Thus far, Sherri Coale is the concensus Big 12 Coach of the Year.
Welch also earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors from the Big 12 Coaches.
Top-seeded OU (26-4 overall, 16-0 Big 12) will play the winner of No. 8 seed Texas (13-14, 7-9) and No. 9 seed Iowa State (15-11, 6-9) in the second round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Wednesday, March 8 at Noon CST. The Sooners have earned a bye in the first round, which will take place on Tuesday at Reunion Arena in Dallas.
The quarterfinal game will be broadcast nationally by Fox Sports Net with Bill Land on play-by-play and Brenda VanLengen on color commentary.
The Championship returns to Dallas for the third time in four years (2003-04, 06). Six different teams have won the nine Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships. Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas Tech have two titles each while Baylor, Colorado and Texas have one. Defending national champ Baylor claimed its first conference tournament championship at the ’05 event at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.
Tickets are still available through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 214-373-8000. Tickets will also be sold at Reunion Arena beginning Monday. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (CST) Monday and Friday and 10 a.m. to halftime of the last game on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. In addition, tickets are available at the American Airlines Center box office. Prices for single session tickets are $15 for reserved and $10 for general admission.
For more information on OU women’s basketball, visit www.soonersports.com.
Dallas Morning News Awards
Coach of the Year—Sherri Coale, Oklahoma
Player of the Year—Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
Freshman of the Year—Kelsey Griffin, Nebraska
All-Big 12 First Team
Lyndsey Medders, Iowa State
LaToya Bond, Missouri
Sophia Young, Baylor
LaToya Davis, Texas Tech
Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
All-Big 12 Second Team
Erin Grant, Texas Tech
Kiera Hardy, Nebraska
Tiffany Jackson, Texas
Crystal Kemp, Kansas
C’stelle N’Garsanet, Missouri
All-Newcomer Team
Shalee Lehning, Kansas State
Erika Arriaran, Texas
Takia Starks, Texas A&M
Shaunte Smith, Oklahoma State
Whitney Pegram, Oklahoma State
All-Improved Team
Angela Tisdale, Baylor
Twiggy McIntyre, Kansas State
Chelsi Welch, Oklahoma
Jackie McFarland, Colorado
Brittany Wilkins, Iowa State
OU Sports Info and Big 12 Conference