Phillips on Heart’s First Team, Nwagbaraocha on Second Squad
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–Two William Penn cagers returned to the postseason honors list as the all-Heart of America Athletic Conference women’s basketball teams were announced by the league office Monday.
Alyssa Phillips (Sr., Gurnee, Ill., Communications) was named to the first team, while Vashti Nwagbaraocha (So., Milwaukee, Wis., Exercise Science) earned a second-team laurel. The award is the second for both players, including the second first-group accolade for Phillips; Nwagbaraocha moves up from an honorable mention last season.
The duo helped William Penn to an 18-12 regular-season record (16-10 Heart) and the #5 seed in this week’s Heart Tournament.
A total of 34 student-athletes garnered accolades, including 10 on the first and second squads and 14 on the honorable-mention list.
Phillips is currently averaging 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds (both team highs) in addition to 60 blocks (also team high), 42 steals, and 26 assists. She is shooting 56.6% from the floor and 62.5% at the line.
The senior leads the Heart in field-goal percentage and is third in blocks, blocks per game (2.0), and total rebounds (243). She also ranks sixth in rebounds per game and seventh in double-doubles (6). Phillips scored a league-high 39 points in the first week of the year.
Nwagbaraocha enters the league tourney with 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest. The sophomore has also produced 83 assists, a team-high 69 steals, and 10 blocks. She scored a campaign-best 25 points earlier this month.
She ranks fifth in the conference in steals, sixth in both steals per game (2.3) and double-doubles (7), seventh in total rebounds (227), ninth in rebounds per game, and 10th in both assists and assists per game (2.8).
Baker’s Kelsey Larson was named Heart Player of the Year, while Defensive POY honors went to Kea Whittington of Clarke. Newcomer of the Year laurels were awarded to Jayden Oliver of MidAmerica Nazarene, while Tristen McFeders of Graceland collected the Freshman of the Year accolade. Ben Lister of Baker was tabbed as the league’s Coach of the Year.
