March 3, 2008

All-Big Ten Teams and Awards in PDF Format

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Michigan State sophomore center Allyssa DeHaan has been named first-team All-Big Ten by the league's media panel, the conference office announced Monday evening. DeHaan, who leads the conference and ranks second in the nation with 120 blocks, was voted a second-team selection by the coaches. For the second year in a row, DeHaan was also chosen to the All-Defensive Team. The Grandville, Mich., native becomes just the seventh player in program history to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors. Kalisha Keane and Brittney Thomas each garnered honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as well as a spot on the All-Freshman Team.

"I'm very honored," said DeHaan, "but at the same time, it's an individual award, and right now our focus is all about March and the Big Ten Tournament."

A preseason All-Big Ten selection, DeHaan was named second-team All-Big Ten last season and was tabbed the Big Ten Freshman of the Year after averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. She has improved on those numbers in her second season, leading the team in scoring (14.8 avg.) and rebounding (7.6 avg.). Her 444 points rank 16th most in an MSU single-season and her 101 free throws rank sixth. She is also among the national leaders in free-throw percentage at 86 percent.

In Big Ten games, DeHaan was first in blocks (3.2 avg.), fourth in rebounding (7.6 avg.) and seventh in scoring (14.0 avg.) and free-throw percentage (.829).

MSU's all-time leader in blocked shots with 265, DeHaan is on national player of the year watch lists for the Naismith Trophy and the Wade Trophy. She is the first player in Big Ten history to record 100 blocks in two different seasons, and was named Big Ten Player of the Week three times this season.

Keane, an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick by the coaches, ranked 20th in conference games in scoring (11.3 avg.) and 17th in rebounding (5.4 avg.). Among freshmen, Keane was first in free-throw percentage (.867), second in steals (1.7 avg.), and third in scoring and rebounding. In all games, Keane is 15th in the Big Ten with 12.2 ppg. She has scored 367 points this season, which ranks fourth in MSU's freshman record book.

Starting every one of MSU's games at point guard, Thomas led all conference freshmen during league games in assists (3.3 avg.) and steals (2.4 avg.) en route to earning honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades by the coaches. The Bolingbrook, Ill., product also ranked second in field-goal percentage (.544), and fifth in scoring (9.1 avg.) and rebounding (4.8 avg.). Thomas has had one of the most productive freshman seasons in Michigan State history - she is third in the Spartan freshman record book in assists with 111, fourth in steals with 59, 13th in rebounds with 153 and 17th in points with 232.

This marks the second time MSU has placed two players on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team - Lindsay Bowen and Liz Shimek became the first Spartan duo to do so in 2002-03. The Spartans have placed at least one player on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in seven of the past eight seasons.

Senior Alisa Wulff was named an honoree for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, which is given to one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.

Michigan State, the No. 5 seed, opens Big Ten Tournament action Friday, March 7 against fourth-seeded Minnesota in the quarterfinals at approximately 8:30 p.m.

PREVIOUS MSU FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG TEN SELECTIONS
Kisha Kelly (1994-95: Coaches)
Paula Sanders (1996-97: Coaches)
Maxann Reese (1998-99: Coaches; 1999-2000: Coaches)
Kristen Rasmussen (1999-2000: Consensus)
Kristin Haynie (2004-05: Coaches)
Liz Shimek (2005-06: Consensus)
Allyssa DeHaan (2007-08: Media)

2007-08 ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS & AWARDS

All-Big Ten - MEDIA

First Team
JENNA SMITH, ILL
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Emily Fox, MINN
Jantel Lavender, OSU
JOLENE ANDERSON, WIS

Second Team*
Jamie Braun, IND
Whitney Thomas, IND
Kristi Smith, IOWA
Leslie Knight, MINN
Marscilla Packer, OSU
Lakisha Freeman, PUR

Third Team#
Johanna Solverson, IOWA
Brianne O'Rourke, PSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
Janese Banks, WIS

Honorable Mention
Lori Bjork, ILL
Wendy Ausdemore, IOWA
Carly Benson, MICH
Jessica Minnfield, MICH
Krista Phillips, MICH
Brittney Thomas, MSU
Ashley Ellis-Milan, MINN
Amy Jaeschke, NU
Ashlee Trebilcock, OSU
Kamela Gissendanner, PSU
Tyra Grant, PSU
FahKara Malone, PUR

Player of the Year
Jolene Anderson, WIS

Freshman of the Year
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU

Coach of the Year
Lisa Bluder, IOWA

All Big Ten - COACHES

First Team
Jenna Smith, ILL
Kristi Smith, IOWA
Emily Fox, MINN
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Jolene Anderson, WIS

Second Team
Jamie Braun, IND
Johanna Solverson, IOWA
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Leslie Knight, MINN
Marscilla Packer, OSU

Third Team*
Lori Bjork, ILL
Whitney Thomas, IND
Carly Benson, MICH
Kamela Gissendanner, PSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
Lakisha Freeman, PUR

Honorable Mention
Jessica Minnfield, MICH
Kalisha Keane, MSU
Ashlee Trebilcock, OSU
Tyra Grant, PSU
Brianne O'Rourke, PSU
FahKara Malone, PUR
Janese Banks, WIS

Defensive POY
Shavelle Little, OSU

All-Defensive Team
Kim Roberson, IND
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Shavelle Little, OSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
FahKara Malone, PUR

Freshman of the Year
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU

All-Freshman Team
Kalisha Keane, MSU
Brittney Thomas, MSU
Amy Jaeschke, NU
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Lin Zastrow, WIS

Player of the Year
Jantel Lavender, OSU

Coach of the Year
Lisa Bluder, IOWA

Sixth Player of the Year
Megan Skouby, IOWA

Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
# Fewer honorees due to additional honorees on second team

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Illinois - Lori Bjork
Indiana - Whitney Thomas
Iowa - Stacy Schlapkohl
Michigan - Krista Clement
Michigan State - Alisa Wulff
Minnesota - Leslie Knight
Northwestern - Jenny Eckhart
Ohio State - Alice Jamen
Penn State - Kamela Gissendanner
Purdue - Lauren Mioton
Wisconsin - Brittany Heins