Emporia State's Tara Holloway Named Player of the Year

FARGO, N.D. -- The selection of Emporia State University forward Tara Holloway as the Player of the Year highlighted the 2000 Daktronics, Inc. Division II Women's Basketball All-America team selected by members of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) and announced today.

Holloway, a 5-11 senior from Moundridge, Kan., averaged 21.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in leading the Hornets to a 28-4 record and their third straight NCAA Division II Elite Eight appearance in 2000. Nationally, she finished the regular season ranked No. 11 in scoring (21.4 ppg), No. 13 in field goal percentage (58.7%) and No. 18 in steals (3.3 spg). Holloway, who reached double figures in scoring in all 31 games she played, provided the spark to an offense that led the nation in scoring offense (90.9 ppg).

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year, Holloway led the league in scoring, field goal percentage and steals, and was also No. 2 in blocked shots and No. 5 in rebounding. She ended her career No. 2 all-time in scoring at ESU.

The 2000 Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-America team has three repeat selections including North Dakota State University's 6-foot senior forward Jayne Even (Sioux Falls, S.D.); The College of Saint Rose's 6-foot sophomore forward Ngalula Nana Lukengu (Kinshasa, Congo) and University of Nebraska-Omaha's 5-7 senior guard Darcy Stracke (Stuart, Neb.). Holloway and Even were joined on the first team by Delta State University's 5-11 sophomore forward Caroline Boclair (Charleston, Miss.); Abilene Christian University's 6-3 senior center Jackie Bucher (Denver, Colo.), and Philadelphia University's 5-11 senior center Theresa Carroll (Philadelphia, Pa.).

The second team is comprised of Lukengu, Northern Kentucky University's Michelle Cottrell; Northern Michigan University's Sasha Leverentz; Binghamton University's Bess Greenberg, and New Mexico Highlands' Becky Gonzales.

Rounding out the All-America squad are third team members Stracke; Kennesaw State University's Rima Brazenas; Northern State University's Jammie Coyle; Edinboro University's Marin Hightower; Cal Poly Pomona's Lauri McIntosh, and Stonehill College's Julie Stockwell.

Emporia State's Holloway, North Dakota State's Even, Delta State's Boclair, Saint Rose's Lukengu and Northern Kentucky's Cottrell all participated in the 2000 NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Led by Cottrell's MVP performance, Northern Kentucky University captured its first-ever national championship with a 71-62 overtime win over North Dakota State. National statistical leaders included Abilene Christian's Bucher in field goal shooting (69.6%, 229x329) and Kennesaw State's Brazenas in steals (4.7 spg).

In addition, Greenberg, Even, Bucher and Stockwell were named to the GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America Women's Basketball team, while Brazenas, Cottrell, Even, Greenberg, Holloway, McIntosh and Stracke earned a spot on the Kodak Division II All-America team with Even being selected the Rawlings/WBCA Division II Player of the Year.

The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The company also markets DakStats® sports statistics software with programs for football, basketball and baseball available.

First Team
Player, School (Hometown), Ht., Yr., Pos., PPG, RPG
Caroline Boclair, Delta State University (Charleston, Miss.), 5-11, So., F, 18.7, 7.0
Jackie Bucher, Abilene Christian University (Denver, Colo.), 6-3, Sr., C, 21.4 9.6
Theresa Carroll, Philadelphia University (Philadelphia, Pa.), 5-11, Sr., C, 21.6, 9.2
*Jayne Even, North Dakota State University (Sioux Falls, S.D.), 6-0, Sr., F, 20.5, 9.7
Tara Holloway, Emporia State (Moundridge, Kan.), 5-11, Sr., F, 21.3, 7.7

Second Team
Player, School (Hometown), Ht., Yr., Pos., PPG, RPG
Michelle Cottrell, Northern Kentucky University (Florence, Ky.), 5-11, So., F, 17.3, 9.4
Sasha Leverentz, Northern Michigan University (Watertown, Wis.), 6-1, Sr., F, 22.7, 5.9
*Ngalula Nana Lukengu, The College of Saint Rose (Kinshasa, Congo), 6-0, So., F, 15.7, 6.6
Becky Gonzales, New Mexico Highlands (Anthony, N.M.), 5-10, So., F, 23.1, 6.0
Bess Greenberg, SUNY-Binghamton (Vestal, N.Y.), 5-8, Jr., G, 21.3, 3.2

Third Team
Player, School (Hometown), Ht., Yr., Pos., PPG, RPG
Rima Brazenas, Kennesaw State University (Ukmerge, Lithuania), 5-6, Sr., G, 13.3, 4.8
Jammie Coyle, Northern State University (Belle Fourche, S.D.), 5-8, Sr., G, 18.2, 6.2
Marin Hightower, Edinboro University (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 6-1, Sr., F, 23.6, 8.6
Lauri McIntosh, Cal Poly Pomona (Diamond Bar, Calif.), 5-10, So., F, 19.8, 7.0
Julie Stockwell, Stonehill College (Ponaganset, R.I.), 6-0, Sr. F, 18.4, 10.5
*Darcy Stracke, University of Nebraska-Omaha (Stuart, Neb.), 5-7, Sr., G, 22.6, 5.3

Honorable mention:
Jennifer Brabson, Francis Marion University
Misi Clark, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Shannon Donnelly, Cal State-Stanislaus
Leslie Dudley, Pittsburg State University
Theresa LeCuyer, University of North Dakota
Lauren Fuller, Bentley College
Shemkia Reid, Barton College
Codi Schmitz, Montana State-Billings
Rachael Sloan, Presbyterian College
Latraica Spencer, West Texas A&M University
Tracy Sprolden, Valdosta State University

Daktronics, Inc. Division II Player of the Year: Tara Holloway, Emporia State University

* -- two-time selection (Even 2nd team in 1999, Lukengu 2nd team in 1999, Stracke 3rd team in 1999)

Daktronics, Inc. Division II Player of the Year
2000 Tara Holloway, Emporia State University
1999 Jenny Crouse, University of North Dakota
1998 Konecka Drakeford, Johnson C. Smith University
1997 No team selected
1996 Jennifer Clarkson, Abilene Christian University
1995 Jennifer Clarkson, Abilene Christian University

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