The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Celebrate Annual Postseason Banquet
4/22/2010 | Women's Basketball
OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss women's basketball team recently celebrated the 2009-10 season with its annual postseason banquet from the Inn at Ole Miss.
The Rebels finished the season 17-15 and 7-5 inside the Southeastern Conference and reached the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament for the seventh straight season. Ole Miss went on to earn a berth in the WNIT and claimed a spot in the postseason for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.
Along the way, Ole Miss downed Georgia in Athens for the first time in school history and defeated LSU twice in the same season for the first time since 1985.
Academic counselor Ed Waller presented the first two awards of the afternoon, beginning with the highest grade point average award. Sophomore guard Whitney Hameth, who was recently named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll, won the award, while senior forward Katorra Lewis earned the most improved grade point average.
Junior Alliesha Easley was recognized with the Community Service Award following all her efforts within the community. Easley played an instrumental role this season in spearheading the majority of the team's community service efforts. Easley and the Rebels participated in Reading with the Rebels, a shoe drive for Kenya, a can food drive and adopted a family for Christmas.
Junior point guard Kayla Melson won the Rebel Iron Award for her performance and dedication in the weight room before also taking home the Eleanor Shaw Award, which embodies spirit of the late Eleanor Shaw. Senior forward Elizabeth Robertson captured the Lady Rebel Award, which embodies the true meaning of the all around student-athlete.
Shantell Black won the Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award for the second straight year. Black finished the season second on the team with 47 steals, and her customary pressure defense helped Ole Miss force its opponents into 513 turnovers.
Senior guard Bianca Thomas won the Most Outstanding Offensive Player Award for the second straight year and put together one of the best seasons in school history. An All-SEC first team selection, Thomas finished the season first in the SEC and 10th in the nation in scoring with 20.9 points per game and became just the third player in school history to average over 20.0 points per game for an entire season. In addition, she became the first Rebel since Jennifer Gillom in 1986 to lead the conference in scoring.
She also finished her career sixth all-time at Ole Miss in scoring with 1,511 career points and her 670 points this season is tied for fifth on the school's all-time list. Thomas turned in 19 games this season of at least 20 points, which included a career-high and Tad Smith Coliseum record 42 points earlier this year against LSU.
The Henderson, Tenn., native was also one of the long distance shooters in the nation and ended the year second in the SEC and ninth in the nation with 3.1 three-pointers per game. In fact, Thomas set the school record for the most three-pointers in a season with 100 and became just the seventh player in SEC history with 100 treys in a single season.
Thomas hit a school-record seven three-pointers twice during the season and finished her career at Ole Miss second on the all-time list with 226 career treys.
The Rebels finished the season 17-15 and 7-5 inside the Southeastern Conference and reached the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament for the seventh straight season. Ole Miss went on to earn a berth in the WNIT and claimed a spot in the postseason for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.
Along the way, Ole Miss downed Georgia in Athens for the first time in school history and defeated LSU twice in the same season for the first time since 1985.
Academic counselor Ed Waller presented the first two awards of the afternoon, beginning with the highest grade point average award. Sophomore guard Whitney Hameth, who was recently named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll, won the award, while senior forward Katorra Lewis earned the most improved grade point average.
Junior Alliesha Easley was recognized with the Community Service Award following all her efforts within the community. Easley played an instrumental role this season in spearheading the majority of the team's community service efforts. Easley and the Rebels participated in Reading with the Rebels, a shoe drive for Kenya, a can food drive and adopted a family for Christmas.
Junior point guard Kayla Melson won the Rebel Iron Award for her performance and dedication in the weight room before also taking home the Eleanor Shaw Award, which embodies spirit of the late Eleanor Shaw. Senior forward Elizabeth Robertson captured the Lady Rebel Award, which embodies the true meaning of the all around student-athlete.
Shantell Black won the Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award for the second straight year. Black finished the season second on the team with 47 steals, and her customary pressure defense helped Ole Miss force its opponents into 513 turnovers.
Senior guard Bianca Thomas won the Most Outstanding Offensive Player Award for the second straight year and put together one of the best seasons in school history. An All-SEC first team selection, Thomas finished the season first in the SEC and 10th in the nation in scoring with 20.9 points per game and became just the third player in school history to average over 20.0 points per game for an entire season. In addition, she became the first Rebel since Jennifer Gillom in 1986 to lead the conference in scoring.
She also finished her career sixth all-time at Ole Miss in scoring with 1,511 career points and her 670 points this season is tied for fifth on the school's all-time list. Thomas turned in 19 games this season of at least 20 points, which included a career-high and Tad Smith Coliseum record 42 points earlier this year against LSU.
The Henderson, Tenn., native was also one of the long distance shooters in the nation and ended the year second in the SEC and ninth in the nation with 3.1 three-pointers per game. In fact, Thomas set the school record for the most three-pointers in a season with 100 and became just the seventh player in SEC history with 100 treys in a single season.
Thomas hit a school-record seven three-pointers twice during the season and finished her career at Ole Miss second on the all-time list with 226 career treys.
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