Three Zia Basketball Players Earn All-LSC South Honorable Mention Recognition

PORTALES, NM - Three athletes on the Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team have been selected All-Lone Star Conference South Division Honorable Mention. The players are Elizabeth Richards (Fr., F, 5’11”, Texico, NM/Texico HS), Juliana Morrison (Jr., F, 5’8”, Amarillo, TX/Palo Duro HS) and Valencia Rollins (Sr., Post, 5’8”, Long Beach, CA/Western Wyoming College).

The All-LSC South Team included five First Team selections, five Second Team picks and 10 players receiving Honorable Mention. All eight LSC South head coaches participated in the voting, which was tabulated by the LSC Office.

Richards was Eastern’s second-leading scorer with 9.6 points per game. She also ranked second on the squad with 5.3 rebounds per game, and led the Zias with 45 steals (1.7 average) and 15 blocked shots (0.6 average). Richards was second on the team with 57 assists and ranked second with 19 three-point baskets.

Morrison topped the Zias with 269 points in 27 games, an average of 10.0 points per game. She also led the team with 33 three-point baskets, and converted 70.0% of her free throw shots (14 of 20). She earned 49 assists, 33 steals and 71 rebounds. She has scored 548 career points in three seasons at ENMU.

Rollins led Eastern with 5.6 rebounds per game to go with 7.2 points per contests. She shot 48.3% from the field (70 of 145) and ranked second on the squad with 42 steals (1.6 average). She finished her career on a roll, with 8.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game over the final 12 contests of the season. She provided double-digit scoring in four of the Zias’ last five games.

ENMU, under first-year Head Coach Dan Buzard, finished the season at 7-20, up two wins from 2001-02. The Zias started 3-15, but went 4-5 over their last nine games, including three wins over teams that qualified for the LSC Tournament. ENMU finished 4-10 in the LSC South for a seventh place finish.

2002-03 LSC South All-Conference Team

First Team
Kami Williamson (Angelo State) Guard 5'8" Sr. Menard, TX
Arie Wilson (Texas A&M-Kingsville) Center 6'2" Jr. Beaumont, TX
Melanie Carter (Abilene Christian) Forward 6'2" Jr. Lubbock, TX
Jel-Ani Armstrong (Midwestern State) Center 6'0" Jr. New Orleans, LA
Celeste Stevenson (West Texas A&M) Forward 5'10" So. Abilene, TX

Second Team
Lynsie Blau (Abilene Christian) Center 6'3" Jr. Menard, TX
Meosha Walker (Midwestern State) Guard 5'8" Jr. Bryan, TX
Shalonda Pipkin (TAMU-Kingsville) Forward 5'9" Sr. Carthage, TX
Kelli Anne Goble (Angelo State) Guard 5'3" Jr. Ozona, TX
Amy Putman (TAMU-Commerce) Center 6'1" Jr. Hughes Springs, TX

Honorable Mention
Abilene Christian - Ashley King (Guard); Angelo State - Esponosha Gilliam (Forward); Eastern New Mexico - Elizabeth Richards (Forward), Juliana Morrison (Forward), Valencia Rollins (Post); Midwestern State - Haley Hobson (Guard); TAMU-Commerce - Chianti Johnson (Guard); TAMU-Kingsville - Kim Adams (Center); Texas Woman's - Jessica Springer (Forward); West Texas A&M - Suni Jo Petty (Guard).