The 2007-08 Big West All-Conference Teams were announced today, with UC Santa Barbara senior Jessica Wilson earning Player of the Year honors, Cal State Fullerton's Lauren Chow picking up Freshman of the Year accolades and UC Davis head coach Sandy Simpson receiving the Coach of the Year award.
Wilson becomes the 10th Gaucho to earn Big West Player of the Year accolades, and the first to do since Kristen Mann received the nod in 2005. Led by Wilson's offensive and defensive prowess, UC Santa Barbara was crowned regular season champion after posting a 15-1 league mark. The Sacramento, Calif., native, who posted five double-doubles on the season, averages 12.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest. She ranks in the Big West’s top 10 in five statistical categories, including scoring, rebounding and steals. This season the senior guard became the 22nd Gaucho to reach the 1,000-point plateau and registered five double-doubles.
Simpson guided the UC Davis Aggies to a second place finish in the conference with a 12-4 record in their first year as a full-fledged Division I program and as a member of the Big West, earning him Big West Coach of the Year honors. UC Davis began the season with a 5-0 record, marking the best season-opening win streak since 2001-02. Winning eight of the last nine games to close out conference action, UC Davis earned the No. 2 seed and a bye to the semifinals of the Big West Women’s Basketball Tournament. Simpson owns a 194-113 record during his 11-year tenure at the helm of the Aggies squad.
Chow picked up Cal State Fullerton's second freshman of the year honor in the past three seasons. Teammate Toni Thomas earned the rookie accolade in 2006 following a stellar campaign in her first year as a Titan. Averaging 2.57 three-pointers per game, Chow paces the Big West Conference and ranks among the top 50 in the country. The La Palma, Calif., native stands among the league's best in three-point field goal percentage (2nd), assists (6th) and scoring (10th). Almost two-thirds of her field goal attempts (63.9%) this season have come from long range (202-of-316) and Chow is almost shooting the same from three-point range (.358) as she is from the field overall (.356) this season.
The 2008 Big West First Team features a lot of fresh faces with only one repeat offender on the list with Cal State Fullerton's Toni Thomas. Thomas has led the conference in scoring for the second straight season, scoring 17.4 points per contest, and ranks second in rebounding (7.7 RPG). The Gaucho duo of Wilson and Kat Suderman picked up a pair of first team accolades. Suderman is second on the Gaucho squad in both scoring (10.8) and rebounding (4.9).
Also receiving nods to the Big West First Team are Jessica Campbell (UC Davis), Seyram Gbewonyo (UC Riverside) and Megan Harrison (Cal Poly). Campbell guided the Aggies to a second place finish in their first year as a Big West member. She carried the team on offense, posting the league's second-highest scoring average at 14.9 points per contest and owning the top spot in free throw percentage (.877). Gbewonyo, playing a league-high 33.52 minutes per game, led the Highlanders with 13.2 points per outing and ranked in the Big West’s top 10 in six statistical categories. Ranking fourth in the Big West in scoring (13.8) and sixth in rebounding (7.1) is Harrison.
2007-08 BIG WEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jessica Wilson, UC Santa Barbara
2007-08 BIG WEST FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Lauren Chow, Cal State Fullerton
2007-08 BIG WEST COACH OF THE YEAR
Sandy Simpson, UC Davis
| FIRST TEAM |
| Player |
School |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Jessica Campbell |
UC Davis |
5-11 |
Sr. |
W |
San Marcos, Calif./Orange Glen HS |
| Seyram Gbewonyo |
UC Riverside |
5-10 |
Jr. |
G |
Sylmar, Calif./Sylmar HS |
| Megan Harrison |
Cal Poly |
6-1 |
Jr. |
F |
Drippings Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs HS |
| Kat Suderman |
UC Santa Barbara |
6-4 |
Jr. |
F/C |
San Luis Obispo, Calif./Mission College Prep |
| Toni Thomas^ |
Cal State Fullerton |
5-10 |
Jr. |
F/C |
San Bernardino, Calif./A.B. Miller HS |
| Jessica Wilson |
UC Santa Barbara |
5-10 |
Sr. |
G |
Sacramento, Calif./Laguna Creek HS |
| SECOND TEAM |
| Player |
School |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Haylee Donaghe |
UC Davis |
5-10 |
RJr. |
W |
Atascadero, Calif./Atascadero HS |
| Karina Figueroa |
Long Beach State |
5-8 |
Jr. |
G |
Corona, Calif./Rosary HS |
| Katie Holloway |
Cal State Northridge |
6-4 |
Sr. |
C |
Lake Stevens, Wash./Lake Stevens HS |
| Tainoisouti Lott |
UC Riverside |
6-2 |
Jr. |
F/C |
Moreno Valley, Calif./Rancho Verde HS |
| Janae Young |
Pacific |
6-0 |
Jr. |
F |
Sacramento, Calif./Delta College |
| HONORABLE MENTION |
| Player |
School |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/Previous School |
| Heather Bates |
UC Davis |
5-11 |
Sr. |
W |
Madera, Calif./Reedley College |
| Lauren Chow |
Cal State Fullerton |
5-4 |
Fr. |
G |
La Palma, Calif./Kennedy HS |
| Kelly Cochran |
UC Irvine |
6-0 |
Jr. |
F |
West Hills, Calif./Chaminade Prep |
| Stephanie Duda |
UC Irvine |
5-10 |
Sr. |
F |
Lakewood, Calif./Los Alamitos HS |
| Roney Friend |
UC Riverside |
6-0 |
Jr. |
F |
Los Angeles, Calif./Bishop Montgomery HS |
| Sha’Rae Gibbons |
UC Santa Barbara |
5-7 |
Jr. |
G |
Sacramento, Calif./Valley HS |
| Kelsey Lavender |
Pacific |
5-7 |
Sr. |
G |
Lake Oswego,Ore./Lake Oswego HS |
| Ashley Richie |
Cal State Fullerton |
5-7 |
Fr. |
G |
Victorville, Calif./Silverado HS |
| Amy Van Hollebeke |
Pacific |
5-6 |
Jr. |
G |
San Diego, Calif./Mira Costa CC |
| Brittany Waddell |
UC Riverside |
5-9 |
So. |
G |
Hesperia, Calif./Hesperia HS |
| ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM |
| Player |
School |
Ht. |
Pos. |
Hometown/Previous School |
| LaTorya Barbee |
Long Beach State |
5-6 |
G |
Moreno Valley, Calif./Canyon Springs HS |
| Ashlee Brown |
UC Santa Barbara |
6-0 |
F |
Chandler, Ariz./Chandler HS |
| Lauren Chow |
Cal State Fullerton |
5-4 |
G |
La Palma, Calif./Kennedy HS |
| Ashley Richie |
Cal State Fullerton |
5-7 |
G |
Victorville, Calif./Silverado HS |
| Kristina Santiago |
Cal Poly |
6-2 |
C |
Santa Maria, Calif./Righetti HS |
| ^Two-time All-Big West First Team selection |