March 3, 2016

Burstrom, Brooks and Newman garner postseason SAC honors

ROCK HILL, S.C. – A trio of Carson-Newman Lady Eagles were honored by the South Atlantic Conference Thursday afternoon when the league announced its postseason accolades. Senior Tatum Burstrom was picked to the second team, junior Kailyn Brooks was an honorable mention pick and redshirt-freshman Kayla Newman was named to the freshman team.

ROCK HILL, S.C. – A trio of Carson-Newman Lady Eagles were honored by the South Atlantic Conference Thursday afternoon when the league announced its postseason accolades. Senior Tatum Burstrom was picked to the second team, junior Kailyn Brooks was an honorable mention pick and redshirt-freshman Kayla Newman was named to the freshman team.

It is the second consecutive year that a trio of players earned a postseason honor from the league marking the first time that the women's basketball program has gone straight seasons with at least three players since a span of three years from 2008-09 to the 2010-11 season.

Burstrom picks up a postseason honor for the third time in her career becoming just the fifth player in program history to earn at least three nods by the SAC since 1989-90. Most recently Zoriah Williams picked up the honor three times in her career capped in 2011-12.

The Maryville, Tenn. native concluded the season eighth in the league in scoring average with 13.8 points per game. Her 63 three-pointers rank fourth in the league.

During her senior season, Burstrom became the 17^th Lady Eagle to score at least 1,000 points in her career doing so against North Georgia on Dec. 3. She also became the all-time leader in made three-pointers at Queens (N.C.) on Dec. 12.

The guard completed her career fourth in SAC history with 254 made three-pointers. The program's leader in made triples concludes her four years with 1,234 points, good for ninth in C-N history. The senior scored in double figures 64 times in her four seasons while leading the team in scoring in 30 games. She made at least three three-pointers on 43 occasions.

Brooks picks up a postseason honor for the first time in her career finishing the season eighth in the league with 13.8 points per game, second in the league with 71 made three-pointers while leading the league with 44 percent shooting from long distance, a mark that ranked 18^th nationally.

The guard notched 21 double-figure scoring nights including seven nights with at least 20 points. Three times during the year Brooks racked up a career-high 25 points including in the final game of the season at Newberry in the SAC Women's Basketball Championships.

Averaging 3.1 assists per game, Brooks ranked ninth in the league in that category while tallying 17 nights with three or more assists.

The junior finishes the season with 71 converted three-pointers, on behind Ashley Tipton's single-season mark of 72 set during the 2008-09 campaign. In her career Brooks has made 123 three-pointers ranking sixth in school history on the list. She will enter her senior season needing 224 points to reach the 1,000-point club.

"It's been awesome and it's been really nice to see my work pay off that I put in this summer," Brooks said. "It's been a lot of fun especially anytime the shots are going in it's really fun so it's been nice."

Newman gave the Lady Eagles a member on the all-freshman team for the fourth consecutive season. The Alcoa, Tenn. native finished the season averaging 6.6 points per night and 3.8 rebounds to go along with 28 steals and nine blocks.

The forward scored in double figures five times while notching a career effort at Mars Hill where she racked up a career-high 18 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for her first-career double-double.

First Team

Jennifer Monroe, Anderson
Ansley Ricker, Mars Hill
Megan Pittman, Lincoln Memorial
Samantha Creed, Newberry
Shynese Whitener, Tusculum
Bri Johnson, Catawba

Second Team

Heather Jankowy, Anderson
Terri Rogers, Catawba
Meg Essex, Newberry
Jazz Green, Coker
Morgan McGee, Wingate
Tatum Burstrom, Carson-Newman

Honorable Mention

Cadence Wilmoth, Mars Hill
Kailyn Brooks, Carson-Newman
Danasia Witherspoon, Wingate
Madison Lenox, Brevard
Alexis Dillard, Anderson
Jada Huntley, Catawba

All-Freshman

Meg Essex, Newberry
Danasia Witherspoon, Wingate
Kasey Johnson, Tusculum
Courtney Robinson, Wingate
Kayla Newman, Carson-Newman

Player of the Year

Jennifer Monroe, Anderson

Freshman of the Year

Meg Essex, Newberry

Coach of the Year

Sarah Jansen, Mars Hill

- CN -