Conference USA
IRVING, Texas – Conference USA regular-season champion WKU highlights the 2017 All-Conference USA Women’s Basketball teams following a notable 16-win conference season. The Lady Toppers are the first program in league history to sport multiple first-team selections in three consecutive seasons. Voting was comprised of two votes per institution; the women's basketball head coach and a media representative.
Of the three Lady Toppers that were tagged All-C-USA, senior guard Kendall Noble and junior forward Ivy Brown achieved first-team status. For Noble, it is her third consecutive year on an All-C-USA squad and her second-straight season as a first-team selection. Noble, the 2016 C-USA Player and Defensive Player of the Year, was also named to the 2017 Conference USA All-Defensive Team for the third uninterrupted season. Rounding out WKU’s representation is junior guard Tashia Brown, who notched All-C-USA second-team honors in her second-straight year on the all-conference team.
Defending league champ Middle Tennessee was the only other program to sport a pair of first-team selections as sophomore Alex Johnson and senior Ty Petty were each named to the annual squad. Junior guard Abbey Sissom, the Lady Raiders’ go-to perimeter defender, earned C-USA All-Defensive Team honors.
Charlotte tossed a pair on the All-C-USA teams and was also represented twice in the C-USA All-Defensive Team. Sophomore Grace Hunter and senior Lefty Webster were named to the All-C-USA First and Second Teams, while Webster along with newcomer Nyilah Jamison-Myers received all-defensive honors. For Webster, it is her third showing on an All-C-USA squad in a row and her first all-defensive crew appearance.
Old Dominion landed a couple All-C-USA selections led by familiar face Jennie Simms. Simms, a senior guard, was the 2015 C-USA Newcomer of the Year and has littered her shelf with awards ever since her arrival. The Maryland native was named All-C-USA First Team for the third consecutive season and leads the league in scoring (25.7), a mark that is second in the country. Joining Simms is teammate Destinee Young, a senior forward. Young, who was named to the second team, is a double-double machine and comfortably leads the league in the category (15).
UTSA also placed a twosome on the All-C-USA teams. Junior transfer Loryn Goodwin has made an immediate impact for her squad and was named All-C-USA First Team. The Texas native finished the season as a top-five scorer in C-USA (17.9). Senior Tesha Smith garnered second-team honors after finishing the season in the C-USA top 10 in scoring (15.3), rebounding (7.8) and field goal percentage (.545).
Concluding the first-team awards is Southern Miss senior Brittanny Dinkins, who earned recognition on the all-defensive team as well. The Miami product leads the league in steals (3.3), a mark that is good for ninth nationally. Furthermore, Dinkins is a top-three scoring threat in C-USA, averaging 18.2 points per game. Teammate Shonte Hailes also received recognition and was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team.
Rounding out the All-C-USA Second Team awards are Louisiana Tech sophomore Kierra Anthony, Marshall sophomore Shayna Gore, Rice senior Jasmine Goodwine and UTEP senior Sparkle Taylor. FIU’s Alexis Gordon, Marshall’s Ashley Saintigene and UAB teammates Miyah Barnes and Rachael Childress finalized the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
All-Conference USA First Team
Grace Hunter, Charlotte | So., Raleigh, North Carolina
*Ty Petty, Middle Tennessee | Sr., Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Alex Johnson, Middle Tennessee | So., Murfreesboro, Tennessee
**Jennie Simms, Old Dominion | R-Sr., Accokeek, Maryland
Brittanny Dinkins, Southern Miss | Sr., Miami, Florida
Loryn Goodwin, UTSA | Jr., Cypress, Texas
Ivy Brown, WKU | Jr., Hodgenville, Kentucky
**Kendall Noble, WKU | R-Sr., Hazard, Kentucky
All-Conference USA Second Team
**Lefty Webster, Charlotte | Sr., Norfolk, Virginia
Kierra Anthony, LA Tech | So., New Iberia, Louisiana
Shayna Gore, Marshall | So., Logan, West Virginia
Destinee Young, Old Dominion | Sr., Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Jasmine Goodwine, Rice | Sr., Killeen, Texas
Sparkle Taylor, UTEP | Sr., Flint, Michigan
Tesha Smith, UTSA | Sr., San Antonio, Texas
*Tashia Brown, WKU | Jr., Lake Park, Georgia
Conference USA All-Defensive Team
Nyilah Jamison-Myers, Charlotte | R-Jr., Orangeburg, South Carolina
Lefty Webster, Charlotte | Sr., Norfolk, Virginia
Abbey Sissom, Middle Tennessee | Jr., Woodbury, Tennessee
Destinee Young, Old Dominion | R-Jr., Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Brittanny Dinkins, Southern Miss | Sr., Miami, Florida
**Kendall Noble, WKU | R-Sr., Hazard, Kentucky
Conference USA All-Freshman Team
Alexis Gordon, FIU | Palm Bay, Florida
Ashley Saintegene, Marshall | Lauderdale Lakes, Florida
Shonte Hailes, Southern Miss | Quitman, Mississippi
Miyah Barnes, UAB | Memphis, Tennessee
Rachael Childress, UAB | Moulton, Alabama
*Repeat Selection
