Holmes and Fields Honored by Big 12
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 4, 2015) -[/B] For the second consecutive year, West Virginia University junior guard Bria Holmes was named a unanimous 2014-15 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball First Team honoree. Additionally, senior Averee Fields was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
Holmes becomes only the third Mountaineer women's hoops player to garner back-to-back all-conference first team honors, joining Liz Repella (2010-11) and Rosemary Kosiorek (1990-92).
"Bria Holmes is truly deserving of this recognition," said coach Mike Carey. "There is no doubt in my mind that she is one of the nation's top best players. I am very proud of her accomplishments this season."
This season, the junior ranked second in the Big 12 and 38th nationally with 19.2 points per game. Holmes' 577 points this season rank as the seventh most in a single season at WVU. Her 1,273 career points sits 20th on the West Virginia all-time scoring ledger.
The New Haven, Connecticut, native has reached double-figures in 29-of-30 games this season. She posted a career-high 36 points in the Mountaineers' win over Seton Hall on November 17. Holmes has eclipsed the 30-point plateau two other times this season with 32 against Evansville (November 26) and 30 against TCU (February 4).
Holmes was named to the Wood Award Midseason Top 20 list, Naismith Award Top 50 watch list and the WBCA Wade Award Watch List. Earlier this year, she was tabbed as the 16th-best player by ESPN and named a Lindy's First Team Preseason All-American. Holmes also was selected by the league's coaches as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year.
Fields averaged 13.1 points per game in 30 contests this season and ranked sixth in the league with 6.7 rebounds per game. The all-conference recognition was the first for Fields' career.
"Averee has worked hard all four years in the classroom and on the court," said coach Carey. "She has represented West Virginia well over the past four years."
Baylor's Kim Mulkey was selected Coach of the Year and sophomore forward Nina Davis was named Player of the Year in highlighting the 2014-15 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Awards. Gabbi Ortiz (Oklahoma) was chosen Freshman of the Year, while her teammate Peyton Little (Oklahoma) was honored as Newcomer of the Year. Chelsea Prince (TCU) earned Defensive Player of the Year, and Khadijiah Cave (Baylor) received the Sixth Man Award.
The All-Big 12 honors are chosen by head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
West Virginia finished the 2014-15 regular season at 17-13 overall and 7-11 in the Big 12. WVU, which is the No. 7-seed, will play No. 10-seeded Texas Tech in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Championship on Friday, March 6. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The game will be televised on Fox College Sports Central.
2014-15 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards
Coach of the Year: Kim Mulkey, Baylor (15th season)
Player of the Year: Nina Davis, Baylor, F, 5-11, So., Memphis, Tenn.
Freshman of the Year: Gabbi Ortiz, Oklahoma, G, 5-9, Fr., Racine, Wis.
Newcomer of the Year: Peyton Little, Oklahoma, G, 5-11, So., Abilene, Texas
Defensive Player of the Year: Chelsea Prince, TCU, F, 5-11, Sr., Fort Worth, Texas
Sixth Man Award: Khadijiah Cave, Baylor, C, 6-2, So., Augusta, Ga.
All-Big 12 First Team (all honors listed alphabetical by school)
Nina Davis**!, Baylor, F
Niya Johnson**, Baylor, G
Nikki Moody**^, Iowa State, G
Chelsea Gardner**!, Kansas, F
Peyton Little, Oklahoma, G
Brittney Martin**, Oklahoma State, G
Zahna Medley!, TCU, G
Imani McGee-Stafford^, Texas, C
Amber Battle^, Texas Tech, G
Bria Holmes**!, West Virginia, G
All-Big 12 Second Team
Breanna Lewis, Kansas State, F
Gioya Carter, Oklahoma, G
Kaylon Williams, Oklahoma, F
Veja Hamilton, TCU, G/F
Kelsey Lang, Texas, C
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Sune Agbuke (Baylor), Imani Wright (Baylor), Seanna Johnson (Iowa State), Brynn Williamson (Iowa State), Asia Boyd (Kansas), Natalie Knight (Kansas), Ashia Woods (K-State), Sharane Campbell-Olds (Oklahoma), Liz Donohoe (Oklahoma State), LaShawn Jones (Oklahoma State), Chelsea Prince (TCU), Nneka Enemkpali (Texas), Brady Sanders (Texas), Averee Fields (West Virginia)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Sune Agbuke, Baylor, C
Breanna Lewis, Kansas State, F
Sharane Campbell-Olds, Oklahoma, G
Brittney Martin, Oklahoma State, G
Chelsea Prince, TCU, F
Big 12 All-Freshman Team
Kristy Wallace, Baylor, G
Lauren Aldridge, Kansas, G
Gabbi Ortiz, Oklahoma, G
Ariel Atkins, Texas, G
Brooke McCarty, Texas, G
** Unanimous First Team Selection (coaches cannot vote for own players, unanimous denotes voted first team by other nine coaches)
! 2013-14 All Big 12 First Team Selection
^ 2013-14 All-Big 12 Second Team Selection
Keep up with West Virginia women's basketball on Instagram and Twitter by following @WVUWBB.[/I]
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 4, 2015) -[/B] For the second consecutive year, West Virginia University junior guard Bria Holmes was named a unanimous 2014-15 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball First Team honoree. Additionally, senior Averee Fields was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
Holmes becomes only the third Mountaineer women's hoops player to garner back-to-back all-conference first team honors, joining Liz Repella (2010-11) and Rosemary Kosiorek (1990-92).
"Bria Holmes is truly deserving of this recognition," said coach Mike Carey. "There is no doubt in my mind that she is one of the nation's top best players. I am very proud of her accomplishments this season."
This season, the junior ranked second in the Big 12 and 38th nationally with 19.2 points per game. Holmes' 577 points this season rank as the seventh most in a single season at WVU. Her 1,273 career points sits 20th on the West Virginia all-time scoring ledger.
The New Haven, Connecticut, native has reached double-figures in 29-of-30 games this season. She posted a career-high 36 points in the Mountaineers' win over Seton Hall on November 17. Holmes has eclipsed the 30-point plateau two other times this season with 32 against Evansville (November 26) and 30 against TCU (February 4).
Holmes was named to the Wood Award Midseason Top 20 list, Naismith Award Top 50 watch list and the WBCA Wade Award Watch List. Earlier this year, she was tabbed as the 16th-best player by ESPN and named a Lindy's First Team Preseason All-American. Holmes also was selected by the league's coaches as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year.
Fields averaged 13.1 points per game in 30 contests this season and ranked sixth in the league with 6.7 rebounds per game. The all-conference recognition was the first for Fields' career.
"Averee has worked hard all four years in the classroom and on the court," said coach Carey. "She has represented West Virginia well over the past four years."
Baylor's Kim Mulkey was selected Coach of the Year and sophomore forward Nina Davis was named Player of the Year in highlighting the 2014-15 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Awards. Gabbi Ortiz (Oklahoma) was chosen Freshman of the Year, while her teammate Peyton Little (Oklahoma) was honored as Newcomer of the Year. Chelsea Prince (TCU) earned Defensive Player of the Year, and Khadijiah Cave (Baylor) received the Sixth Man Award.
The All-Big 12 honors are chosen by head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
West Virginia finished the 2014-15 regular season at 17-13 overall and 7-11 in the Big 12. WVU, which is the No. 7-seed, will play No. 10-seeded Texas Tech in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Championship on Friday, March 6. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The game will be televised on Fox College Sports Central.
2014-15 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards
Coach of the Year: Kim Mulkey, Baylor (15th season)
Player of the Year: Nina Davis, Baylor, F, 5-11, So., Memphis, Tenn.
Freshman of the Year: Gabbi Ortiz, Oklahoma, G, 5-9, Fr., Racine, Wis.
Newcomer of the Year: Peyton Little, Oklahoma, G, 5-11, So., Abilene, Texas
Defensive Player of the Year: Chelsea Prince, TCU, F, 5-11, Sr., Fort Worth, Texas
Sixth Man Award: Khadijiah Cave, Baylor, C, 6-2, So., Augusta, Ga.
All-Big 12 First Team (all honors listed alphabetical by school)
Nina Davis**!, Baylor, F
Niya Johnson**, Baylor, G
Nikki Moody**^, Iowa State, G
Chelsea Gardner**!, Kansas, F
Peyton Little, Oklahoma, G
Brittney Martin**, Oklahoma State, G
Zahna Medley!, TCU, G
Imani McGee-Stafford^, Texas, C
Amber Battle^, Texas Tech, G
Bria Holmes**!, West Virginia, G
All-Big 12 Second Team
Breanna Lewis, Kansas State, F
Gioya Carter, Oklahoma, G
Kaylon Williams, Oklahoma, F
Veja Hamilton, TCU, G/F
Kelsey Lang, Texas, C
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Sune Agbuke (Baylor), Imani Wright (Baylor), Seanna Johnson (Iowa State), Brynn Williamson (Iowa State), Asia Boyd (Kansas), Natalie Knight (Kansas), Ashia Woods (K-State), Sharane Campbell-Olds (Oklahoma), Liz Donohoe (Oklahoma State), LaShawn Jones (Oklahoma State), Chelsea Prince (TCU), Nneka Enemkpali (Texas), Brady Sanders (Texas), Averee Fields (West Virginia)
Big 12 All-Defensive Team
Sune Agbuke, Baylor, C
Breanna Lewis, Kansas State, F
Sharane Campbell-Olds, Oklahoma, G
Brittney Martin, Oklahoma State, G
Chelsea Prince, TCU, F
Big 12 All-Freshman Team
Kristy Wallace, Baylor, G
Lauren Aldridge, Kansas, G
Gabbi Ortiz, Oklahoma, G
Ariel Atkins, Texas, G
Brooke McCarty, Texas, G
** Unanimous First Team Selection (coaches cannot vote for own players, unanimous denotes voted first team by other nine coaches)
! 2013-14 All Big 12 First Team Selection
^ 2013-14 All-Big 12 Second Team Selection
Keep up with West Virginia women's basketball on Instagram and Twitter by following @WVUWBB.[/I]
