Washburn's Dayna Rodriguez was named first team all-MIAA and Brette Ulsaker was named the Defensive Player of the Year, the fifth straight year a Lady Blue has won the award. Hope Gregory was named to the second team and Ron McHenry won his third Coach of the Year award on Tuesday.

Rodriguez was named first team all-MIAA after leading the team and finishing fifth in the league in scoring at 15.4 points per game ... she was second on the team and fifth in the league in rebounding at 7.2 rpg ... she also finished fourth in the MIAA in FG percentage (139/314/.443) and sixth in blocked shots (1.0/game). She had three double-doubles on the season and scored a career-high 32 points in a win over Southwest Baptist.

Ulsaker became the fifth straight Washburn player to earn Defensive MVP honors. She was second on the team with 1.2 steals per game and helped lead the Lady Blues No. 1 ranked scoring defense that allowed just 54.4 ppg. Washburn also had the conference's number one ranked FG percentage defense and number one 3FG percentage defense. She also averaged 7.0 points and 3.2 assists per game, the latter ranking ninth in the MIAA. She was second in the MIAA with a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Gregory earned second team all-MIAA honors after averaging 10.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Her rebound total ranked second in the conference. She was also fifth in the MIAA in FT percentage (67/83/.807). She was named MIAA Player of the Week two times this season. She recorded four double-doubles, including a 17 point, 13 rebound performance in the MIAA title clinching win at Emporia State.

McHenry earned his third Coach of the Year award after leading Washburn to its seventh MIAA championship and sixth in the last eight years. He guided the Lady Blues to victories in their final 10 regular season games to claim the title. He previously won this award in 2004 and 2005.




Release from the MIAA
MIAA Announces 2009-10 All-Conference Women's Basketball Team


KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Emporia State guard Cassondra Boston was selected as MIAA Player of the Year, and Washburn head coach Ron McHenry was chosen as MIAA Coach of the Year to headline the 2009-10 all-conference women's basketball team released by the league office Tuesday. The selections were made by the league's 11 head coaches, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
Boston was named player of the year after leading the MIAA in scoring with 19.4 points per game and finishing third in assists with 3.9 assists per game. The senior from Des Moines, Iowa, was also named All-MIAA First Team for the second consecutive season. Boston lead Emporia State to a 16-4 league record and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MIAA Championship Tournament.
 
McHenry earned his third coach of the year honor after leading Washburn to its sixth MIAA regular season championship in eight years. McHenry guided the Lady Blues to victories in their last 10 regular season games to claim the title.
 
Washburn senior guard Brette Ulsaker was selected as the 2009-10 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. The McPherson, Kan., product was the catalyst behind the Lady Blues leading the conference in scoring defense at just 54.4 points per contest. Ulsaker also averaged 7.0 points per game and 3.2 assists per game for WU.
 
Emporia State guard Rachel Hanf is the 2009-10 MIAA Freshman of the Year after averaging 7.3 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game for the Lady Hornets. The Paola, Kan., native started 26 of 27 games for ESU this season.
 
Pittsburg State led the league with three All-MIAA selections, including one (DePrice Taylor) on the first team. Central Missouri, Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Missouri Southern, Northwest Missouri and Washburn each had two all-conference players.
 
The 2010 MIAA Basketball Championships begin Thursday at Municipal Auditorium in Downtown Kansas City.

2009-10 ALL-MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cassondra Boston, Sr., G, Emporia State
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brette Ulsaker, Sr., G, Washburn
 
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Rachel Hanf, G, Emporia State
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Ron McHenry, Washburn

FIRST TEAM
Cassondra Boston, G, Sr. Emporia State**[r1]
Dayna Rodriguez, F, Sr., Washburn
Rebecca Roberts, C, Jr., Central Missouri
Naomi Bancroft, G, Sr., Fort Hays State
DePrice Taylor, G, Sr., Pittsburg State
Gentry Dietz, C, Jr., Northwest Missouri

**Unanimous Selection
[r1] - Repeat first team selection from last season

SECOND TEAM
Abby Henry, G, So., Northwest Missouri
Hope Gregory, G, Jr., Washburn
Rachel Graves, G, Sr., Southwest Baptist
Jasmine Lovejoy, G, Jr., Missouri Southern
Alyssa Green, G, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha
 
HONORABLE MENTION
Danielle Shows, G, Jr., Central Missouri
Alli Volkens, F, Jr., Emporia State
Erica Biel, F, Sr., Fort Hays State
Jolea Apon, G, Sr., Missouri Southern
Jessica Koch, F, So., Missouri Western
Maya Onikute, G, Sr., Pittsburg State
Nicole McCombs, F, Sr., Pittsburg State
Breanna Daniels, G, So., Truman
 
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Brette Ulsaker, G, Sr., Washburn
Jamie Nash, G, Fr., Nebraska-Omaha
Deidra Dace, G, Sr., Central Missouri
Rachel Graves, G, Sr., Southwest Baptist
Jamie Augustyn, G, Sr., Emporia State
 
[Note: Tie in voting created an additional spot on first team]