GW Women's Hoops Hands Out 2015 Team Awards

Team MVP Jonquel Jones with Head Coach Jonathan Tsipis

4/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

April 20, 2015

WASHINGTON - The George Washington women's basketball program celebrated a record-setting season on Sunday evening at its end-of-the-year banquet at the City View Room. Five student-athletes were recognized with awards decided by a vote of team members.

"What a great opportunity to celebrate everything that we achieved this season," said third-year head coach Jonathan Tsipis, the 2015 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. "Our season started with our amazing 10-day European tour and ended with three championships and new banners to hang in the Smith Center. It's great to be able to get together as a group one more time to look back and truly appreciate what we accomplished while recognizing the hard work that got us there."

Junior Jonquel Jones was named the team's Most Valuable Player after averaging 15.3 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. The Atlantic 10 Player and Defensive Player of the Year and an honorable mention All-American, Jones shattered GW's single-season rebounds record with 375 in 2015.

Senior Lauren Chase was tabbed the team's Best Defender in her first season on the court for the Buff and Blue. She recorded 34 steals on the year and anchored one of the top defenses in the Atlantic 10.

Sophomore Hannah Schaible was named the team's Most Improved Player after raising her scoring average by two points per game from her freshman year. Senior Bria Bourgeois earned the Team Spirit Award for the second time in three years.

Finally, freshman Brianna Cummings was the recipient of the Academic Success Award, the lone accolade not decided by a vote, as GPA and coursework were both taken into account. Cummings boasts a 3.83 grade-point average as a pre-arts and sciences major.

In addition, Cummings and classmates Mia Farmer, Jada Matthews, Kelli Prange and Camila Tapias each received their first GW varsity letters, and Jones, Prange and sophomore Caira Washington were presented with their Atlantic 10 postseason hardware, as Prange was an All-Rookie Team member and Washington was tabbed to the All-Conference First Team.

GW finished the 2014-15 season with a 29-4 overall mark, setting a program record for wins en route to A-10 regular-season and tournament championships and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008.

2015 Women's Basketball Award Winners
Most Valuable Player - Jonquel Jones
Best Defender - Lauren Chase
Most Improved Player - Hannah Schaible
Team Spirit Award - Bria Bourgeois
Academic Success Award - Brianna Cummings