George Washington University Athletics
GW Cleans Up at Atlantic 10 Awards Banquet
3/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 5, 2004
WASHINGTON, DC - The George Washington women's basketball team took home four of the six individual awards and placed three players on all-conference teams at the Atlantic 10 awards banquet on Thursday, March 4. Senior Cathy Joens (Irvine, CA/Calvary Chapel) won her second straight Player of the Year award, sharing the honor with Duquesne's Candace Futrell, and was later named the A-10's Student-Athlete of the Year. Senior Ugo Oha (Houston, TX/Hastings) picked up the Defensive Player of the Year award, while Valerie Williams (Ft. Lauderdale, FL/Ft. Lauderdale) was named Sixth Player of the Year. Joens and junior Anna Monta?ana (Valencia, Spain/St. Maria El Pilar) were named All-Conference first team and Oha was selected for the conference's second team.
Joens is a two-time A-10 Player of the Year after earning the honor in 2003 and claimed a spot on the First-Team All-Conference squad for the third consecutive year. The 5-11 guard finished the regular season ranked second in the league in scoring with her career-high season average of 20.3 points per game. Joens led the conference in three-point field goals made (3.37) and ended the season ranked 4th nationally in the category. She is the third leading scorer in George Washington history with 1,768 career points and should close her career at second after postseason play. She also ranks among the Conference leaders in steals (3rd/2.30) and three-point field goal percentage (3rd/.453). Joens secured the Student-Athlete of the Year award with a 4.00 GPA as she pursues her Master's in Health Promotion-Disease Prevention.
Oha, the leagues Defensive Player of the Year, led the conference in blocks with 3.41 blocks per game and became George Washington's all-time leader in blocked shots with 190. The Houston, TX native also finished the regular season tied for fourth in league play with a 7.2 rebounding average and finished 10th in the conference in scoring with a 13.6 points per game average. She became the A-10's career block leader with 192 blocks in regular season conference games for her career. Former GW standout Tajama Abraham (1994-97) previously held the record with 162 blocks. For the season, Oha blocked four or more shots 17 times, including two games with six blocks apiece. Nationally, the center finished the season ranked 7th in blocked shots.
Valerie Williams won the Sixth Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season and it is the third straight season the Colonials have earned the honor. Williams averaged 19.4 minutes per game, seeing action in all 27 games and making three starts. A spark off the bench, she finished the regular season averaging 9.1 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game. The Ft. Lauderdale, FL native has scored in double figures a career-high 11 times this season and scored a career-high of 19 points, matching the total three times. She ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage, shooting .581 (104-179) from the floor.
2004 ATLANTIC 10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HONORS
ATLANTIC 10 ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST-TEAM
Tara Boothe, Xavier
Kate Flavin, Richmond
Candace Futrell, Duquesne
Cathy Joens, George Washington
Anna Monta?ana, George Washington
SECOND-TEAM
Saona Chapman, Richmond
Stefanie Collins, St. Bonaventure
Candice Dupree, Temple
Stephanie Graff, Saint Joseph's
Ugo Oha, George Washington
THIRD-TEAM
Erin Brady, Saint Joseph's
Denise King, Rhode Island
Irina Krasnoshiok, Saint Joseph's
Stefanie Miller, Dayton
Tanya Rhodes, Rhode Island
ROOKIE TEAM
Christina Campion, Richmond
Suntana Granderson, Xavier
Loui Hall, Duquesne
Britney Jordan, Temple
Crista Ricketts, La Salle
DEFENSIVE TEAM
Ugo Oha, George Washington
Candice Dupree, Temple
Tanya Rhodes, Rhode Island
Shayla Johnson, Rhode Island
Stephanie Graff, Saint Joseph's
ACADEMIC TEAM
Tara Boothe, Xavier
Stefanie Collins, St. Bonaventure
Beth Ann Dickinson, Fordham
Stephanie Graff, Saint Joseph's
Cathy Joens, George Washington
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Candace Futrell, Duquesne/ Cathy Joens, George Washington
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Crista Ricketts, La Salle
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ugo Oha, George Washington
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Monica Mack, Fordham
SIXTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Valerie Williams, George Washington
STUDENT ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Cathy Joens, George Washington
COACH OF THE YEAR: Dawn Staley, Temple
