Women's Basketball Honors Team At Annual Banquet
April 13, 2013
CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Oregon State women's basketball team finished its 2012-13 season with a banquet on Friday night in the Reser Club on OSU's campus, allowing fans to recognize the senior class and winners of various team awards as well as interact with student-athletes and staff.
The dinner served not only to celebrate the program, but also to honor the team's seniors, who have made an indelible mark on Beaver basketball: Patricia Bright, ShaKiana Edwards-Teasley, Quortni Fambro, Thais Pinto and Mollee Schwegler.
Head Coach Scott Rueck, along with assistants Mark Campbell, Eric Ely and Megan Dickerson handed out postseason awards, as voted on by members of the team and their coaches. Freshman Ruth Hamblin took home OSU's Academic Award for her outstanding work in the classroom and was also named the Beavers' most improved player. The center swatted 32 shots this season to tie Brina Chaney (2000-01) for the third on Oregon State's freshman list.
Deven Hunter, who set the tone for OSU on the glass all season, was recognized as the Beavers' best rebounder. The freshman led her team in that category and her 189 boards (6.1/game) are the seventh most by an Oregon State freshman.
Fellow freshman Jamie Weisner, a member of the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team and a league honorable mention selection, was honored as OSU's Offensive Player of the Year. Weisner averaged a team-high 12.5 points to go along with 5.9 rebounds per game and became just the fifth freshman in OSU history, and first in 20 years, to total more than 350 points and 150 rebounds in a season. Her 389 points are the fifth-most for a freshman at OSU, only eclipsed by four student-athletes who all played 20 or more years ago.
Ali Gibson was tabbed as the Beavers' Defensive Player of the Year. The sophomore guard led the team with 54 steals and finished 10th in the conference with 1.7 per game all while playing a versatile role in Oregon State's defensive schemes.
Gibson was also honored as the recipient of the Carol Menken-Schaudt Teammate of the Year Award, given to "the person who exemplifies what a Beaver student-athlete should be....[and one] who is looked up to because of her work ethic, attitude, support and care for other teammates and is an outstanding representative of the program." The award is named after OSU legend and 1984 Olympic gold medalist Carol Menken-Schaudt (1979-81).
In addition, junior Alyssa Martin was recognized for her second-consecutive Pac-12 academic honor, which she received late last month.
Before a closing speech from Scott Rueck in which he thanked the program's administrators, staff, student-athletes, their families and everyone associated with Oregon State women's basketball, the 2012-13 Beavers were celebrated as a group for their record-setting defensive effort.
Oregon State finished the season 16th in the nation and 2nd in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage defense (.346) and 11th in the country and first in the league in blocks per game (5.5). The team's .346 field goal percentage defense mark is a new school record, besting its .350 from last season. The Beavers were also the only team in the country that had seven different players with at least 10 blocks and also averaged 41.1 rebounds per game, their most in 17 seasons.
The evening, which was emceed by women's basketball radio broadcaster Ron Callan, began with opening remarks from Oregon State University President Dr. Edward Ray. Ashley Shearer, the program's Director of Operations, recognized the contributions of the team's student managers and the support of its booster club, The Rebounders.
The Rebounders Club President, Cheryl Williams, addressed the 200 family, friends and fans in attendance before a video played with season highlights and behind-the-scenes footage of the 2012-13 Beavers.
For more information on the Oregon State women's basketball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/OregonStateWBB or on Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateWBB.
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