ATLANTA (February 24, 2017) – Benedict’s Destiny Betts was named the 2017 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, announced Friday by the conference office.
All-conference honors are voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Betts had an amazing 2016-17 regular season for Benedict (18-7 overall) who finished with a 14-1 conference record to claim its third consecutive SIAC east division title. Betts, a 6’2 senior forward from Halifax, Va. averaged 15.0 points and a league-best 13.7 rebounds per game during conference games. Throughout the 2016-17 season, Betts averaged 12.7 rebounds per game which is third in NCAA Division II. She scored in double-figures 18 times and recorded 14 double-doubles during the regular season which is ranked 12
th in NCAA Division II. She was named the SIAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week six times and recorded her best game of the season on Dec. 17 when she had a record-setting performance against Saint Leo. Betts scored a career-high 30 points and recording a career-high 32 rebounds, the most by any NCAA player this season, men and women in all divisions at the time. It is also tied for fifth-most rebounds in a single game in NCAA Division II women's basketball history.
Marissa Mandeldove of Clark Atlanta was voted Newcomer of the Year. Mandeldove averaged 16.3 points and 4.5 assists in SIAC games this year for the Panthers. The 5’4 junior guard from Atlanta also leads the league in steals (3.7) which is ranked fourth in NCAA Division II. Mandeldove has scored in double-figures in 22 of 24 games and scored a season-high 26 points against St. Augustine’s on Dec. 4.
Spring Hill’s Elise Reilly was named Freshman of the Year. Reilly led the Badgers (14-12 overall, 8-8 SIAC) in scoring with 15.0 points per game which ranks sixth in the league. The rookie set a Spring Hill women's basketball single-game record with nine 3-point buckets versus Kentucky State on Feb. 13. She also scored the second-most points in a single game in Badger history with 39 points scored.
Sheba Harris of Central State was selected as the Coach of the Year. Harris led the Marauders (18-7, 12-4) to their first SIAC west divisional title since becoming an exclusive member of NCAA Div. II. The Marauders earned a first-round bye and will face an opponent to be determined on Wednesday, March 1 at 5:30 p.m.
The 2017 SIAC Basketball Tournament is set to begin on Monday, Feb. 27 at Bill Harris Arena.
For more information about the 2017 SIAC Basketball Tournament
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Player of the Year: Destiny Betts, Benedict
Defensive Player of the Year: Destiny Betts, Benedict
Newcomer of the Year: Marissa Mandeldove, CAU
Freshman of the Year: Elise Reilly, Spring Hill
Coach of the Year: Sheba Harris, Central State
2017 SIAC Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team
| Destiny Betts |
Benedict |
Senior |
Forward |
Halifax, Va. |
| Janisha Wilkerson |
Paine |
Senior |
Forward |
Brunswick, Ga. |
| Tashara Jones |
Lane |
Senior |
Guard/Forward |
Pensacola, Fla. |
| Teresa Mays |
LeMoyne-Owen |
Senior |
Guard |
Memphis, Tenn. |
| Rachel Brownlee |
Tuskegee |
Senior |
Guard |
Suggsville, Ala. |
| Marissa Mandeldove |
Clark Atlanta |
Junior |
Guard |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Ghameerah McCullers |
Central State |
Senior |
Guard |
New York, N.Y. |
| Elise Reilly |
Spring Hill |
Freshman |
Guard |
Covington, La. |
| MiKeisha Moore |
Benedict |
Junior |
Forward |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Lauren Turner |
Clark Atlanta |
Junior |
Forward |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Shekiya Tarpkins |
Fort Valley State |
Senior |
Guard/Forward |
Social Circle, Ga. |
| Brittani Rizzi |
Kentucky State |
Junior |
Guard |
Bedford, Ind. |