Wayne Stewart named NABC Second Team All-District.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Texas A&M University-Commerce senior Wayne Stewart has been named second-team all-district by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, as announced Monday. 

Stewart (Philadelphia, Pa.) earns NABC all-district honors for the first time in his career and gives the Lions an NABC honoree for the third consecutive season. 

His 18.8 points per game rank sixth in the LSC and 88th in the nation, and his 7.8 rebounds per game rank fifth in the LSC are 93rd in the nation. 

He was an ultra-efficient shooter in the 2019-20 season and ranked second in the LSC and 13th nationally in shooting percentage at 62.3 percent. He scored 507 points with 211 rebounds and 31 assists, and was also a strong defensive presence, ranking third in the LSC in blocks per game. 

He scored over 20 points in 13 games, 25 or more points five times, and earned a career-best 30 points vs. UAFS. 

Stewart also earned eight double-doubles, was featured on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays and was the winner of the Dark Horse Dunker online voting competition. 

NABC All-District | South Central Region

First Team

Qua Grant, West Texas A&M

August Haas, St. Edward’s

Brian Halums, Arkansas-Ft. Smith

Joel Murray, West Texas A&M

Jack Pagenkopf, Dixie State

Ashton Spears, St. Edward’s

                                   

Second Team

Sammy Barnes, New Mexico Highlands

Riley Farris, Fort Lewis

Chandler Jacobs, Dallas Baptist

Raquan Mitchell, New Mexico Highlands

Wayne Stewart, A&M-Commerce

 

Coach of the Year: Tom Brown, West Texas A&M

Chania Wright earns the WBCA All-America award, and Burton named a finalist for National Coach of the Year.

ATLANTA – Texas A&M University-Commerce guard Chania Wright has been named an Honorable Mention All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association, as announced Monday. Wright becomes the fifth player in program history to be called an All-American. Also, they announced that head coach Jason Burton was among the finalists for WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year. 

Wright– a junior from DeSoto– helped lead the Lions to a historic season, as the team went 28-3 on its way to the No. 1 seed in the Lone Star Conference Tournament. Wright was a prolific scorer for the Lions, averaging 12.5 points per game during the season while shooting 34.2 percent from three and 40.7 percent from the field. During the regular season, she ranked 12th in the LSC in scoring average and 12th in threes made per game. Wright was also a one-time Defensive Player of the Week, ranking 19th in steals. She had 20 games with at least 10 points and topped more than 20 points four times during the season. Wright was a Second Team All-LSC selection, her second consecutive season as an all-conference performer. It is the first All-America award of her collegiate career. 

During the 2019-20 season, Burton led the Lions to their most successful season under his tenure, earning LSC Coach of the Year honors for the first time in his career. The team went 28-3, tying the program’s record for most wins in a single season. The team qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row, the first time in program history the team had made back-to-back tournament appearances. The team set records for wins in a season (28), wins in a regular season (26), conference wins (20), most wins in a row (25), best scoring margin (+18.4), lowest-scoring defense (56.8) and highest national ranking (3rd). The team won its first 25 games of the year and finished the season as the No. 1 seed in the LSC with a 20-2 record in conference games. The team would go on to reach the LSC Championship final for the second time in program history. The Lions qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the second seed in the region, their highest ever seed in the NCAA Regionals. 

Burton saw five of his players earn All-LSC awards, as Dyani Robinson was named LSC Freshman of the Year. He also saw all five of his primary starters named LSC Defensive Player of the Week, the first time in LSC recorded history that five different players on the same team earned player of the Week honors. The team made the Defensive Player of the Week seven times during the season. Wright becomes the third player under Burton to be named an All-American. 

WBCA All-Americans

Michaela Barnes – Edinboro

Maddi Chitsey – Lubbock Christian

Hailey Diestelkamp – Drury

Morgan Fleming – Central Missouri

Jodi Johnson – Ashland

Julia Macabuhay – California–San Diego

Alexy Mollenhauer – Anderson (SC)

Brooke Olson – Minnesota–Duluth

Shannon Ryan – Saint Anselm College

Jada Smith – Union

 

WBCA Honorable Mention All-Americans

Seina Adachi – Notre Dame College (OH)

Cassie Askvig – University of Mary

Soteria Banks – St. Mary’s

Mary Barton – Maryville–St. Louis

Daejah Bernard – Drury

Abby Bertram – Lee

Deijah Blanks – St. Edward’s

Cassidy Boensch – Grand Valley State

Tabitha Dailey – Lander

Leonie Edringer – Adelphi

Zyaire Ewing – Delta State

Yazmeen Goo – Alaska–Anchorage

Kaely Hummel – Sioux Falls

Tyra James – Urbana

Julia Jenike – Florida Southern College

Ariel Jones – Shippensburg of Pennsylvania

Kayla Marosites – Carson-Newman

Kwanza Murray – Lincoln of Pennsylvania

Jerusha Paine – Dominican (CA)

Quantesha Patterson – Delta State

Shanika Peterkin – Barton College

Kayla Raymond – Stonehill College

McKayla Roberts – Le Moyne College

Anna Schwecke – Western Washington

Megan Skaggs – Central Missouri

Julianne Sutton – North Georgia

Alexia Thrower – Humboldt State

Daniella Turner – Colorado Mesa

Chania Wright – A&M–Commerce

Irisa Ye – University of the Sciences (PA)

 

WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year Finalists

Trisha Brown – Stonehill College

Jason Burton – A&M–Commerce

Lori Fish – St. Cloud State

Laruen Macer – Notre Dame College (OH)

Ryan McCarthy – Alaska-Anchorage

Molly Miller – Drury

Kevin Pederson – Lander

Marty Rowe – Lee

 

WBCA DII National Coach of the Year: Molly Miller – Drury