All-GNAC women's basketball release
SEATTLE – Daesha Henderson has the statistical numbers. But they don't represent her whole game on the basketball court.
Her game goes beyond the numbers. Coaches around the Great Northwest Athletic Conference see it night in and night out, and they have voted the Seattle Pacific senior guard as the conference's women's basketball Player of the Year.
That same group also honored SPU's Julie van Beek as Coach of the Year and voted senior forward Megan Hoisington to the All-GNAC second team.
Henderson also was a first-team selection last year. She was the only unanimous pick on this year's squad, and was a near-unanimous choice as Player of the Year.
Henderson (Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish HS) scored her 1,000th career point and moved into the GNAC's all-time top 20 in assists last Saturday at Alaska Anchorage as the Falcons wrapped up sole possession of the conference crown with a 67-60 victory against the Seawolves.
For the season, the 5-foot-8 Henderson -- who also was named on Tuesday as a Women's Basketball Coaches Associaton/State Farm Coaches All-America finalist -- is averaging 13.3 points, which puts her into a tie for ninth in the final GNAC statistics. She also won the conference steals title at 2.5 per game, and tied for seventh in assists at 2.7 per contest.
But the number that ultimately matters most is the number in the win column. And the Falcons – thanks in large part to the non-statistical things that Henderson does -- have 24 wins in 27 games this season, enough to earn them the top seed in the West Region and the right to host the NCAA regional tournament once again.
The Falcons tip off regional play on Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Hawaii Pacific in Brougham Pavilion.
“We wouldn't have been No. 1 in the West Region the last two years if it wasn't for Daesha,” van Beek said. “She is definitely the person who make our team who we are. As much as she plays with her whole heart and soul, she is just steady. She is incredibly hard to guard, and she leads our team on both ends of the court, offensively and defensively.”
A player of Henderson's caliber is going to be on the radar of every opposing coach as they draw up a game plan. But what they can't plan for is how Henderson is going to make her contribution on any particular night. It could be in any facet of the game – and often is in multiple facets.
“Daesha is a very, very complete player – that's why she's so good,” van Beek said. “She usually guards the other team's toughest offensive threat on the perimeter. You know that every night, the other team has to worry about her. Either she is going to be scoring or getting the assist.”
Henderson rewrote her career highs for points (30 against Central Washington on Feb. 27) and rebounds (eight against Western Oregon on Feb. 13) this season, and tied her career bests for steals (seven against Chico State on Dec. 21) and even blocked shots (two against Chico State).
SOLID ALL-AROUNDER: THAT'S HOISINGTON
Hoisington (Bremerton, Wash./Central Kitsap HS) has been SPU's queen of the double-double this winter, posting seven of them. She had two in a row during the last week of February, going for 13 points and 13 rebounds in a 66-55 victory at Saint Martin's, then tallying 15 points and 10 boards in a 74-48 rout of Central Washington.
The 5-11 Hoisington set career highs in every major statistical category this season, including points (17, twice), rebounds (16), assists (six), steals (six) and blocked shots (six).
For the season, Hoisington is averaging 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and is by far SPU's leader in blocked shots with 33. She ranks fifth in rebounding and third in blocks (1.2 per game) in the GNAC.
VAN BEEK ALWAYS A STUDENT OF THE GAME
Van Beek's Coach of the Year award is her second with the Falcons. She heads into the NCAA tournament with a 120-24 record in five years at the helm. She notched her 100th SPU victory on Dec. 5 when the Falcons beat Dixie State, 59-46.
“I feel very honored because there are a lot of very, very good coaches in our conference,” van Beek said. “They make me better, no question.”
Van Beek is 282-143 in 14 seasons as a head coach. Prior to arriving at Seattle Pacific for the 2005-06 season, she coached at Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville, Tenn.
“It really is a team award because it represents me and our staff. We're all working together – that's why we're successful,” van Beek said. “Our team has gotten so much better because everyone has done their part. There's no way one person could do it all.”
2009-10 ALL-GNAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Player of the Year: Daesha Henderson, Seattle Pacific.
Newcomer of the Year: Kelsie Gourdin, Alaska Anchorage, and Sarah McNamee, Montana State Billings.
Freshman of the Year: Heather Adams, Northwest Nazarene.
Coach of the Year: Julie van Beek, Seattle Pacific.
FIRST TEAM
+*Daesha Henderson, Seattle Pacific (G, 5-8, Sr, Snohomish, Wash.)
Amanda Dunbar, Western Washington (G, 5-9, Jr, Marysville, Wash.)
Lindsay Brady, Northwest Nazarene (G, 5-8, Sr, Boise, Idaho)
Nicci Miller, Alaska Anchorage (F, 5-10, Sr, Denver)
*Katie Torland, Western Oregon (F, 5-10, Sr, Burns, Ore.)
Jessica Summers, Western Washington (P, 6-1, Sr, Blaine, Wash.)
+ Unanimous * Repeater
SECOND TEAM
Tamar Gruwell, Alaska Anchorage (G, 5-8, Sr, Fairfield, Calif.)
Megan Hoisington, Seattle Pacific (F, 5-11, Sr, Bremerton, Wash.)
Willow Cabe, Western Washington (F, 6-1, Sr, Elma, Wash.)
Dara Zack, Saint Martin's (F, 5-10, Jr, Spokane)
Kayla Ryan, Montana State Billings (C, 6-1, Jr, Big Timber, Mont.)
HONORABLE MENTION
Janee Olds, Northwest Nazarene (G, 5-8, Sr, Coos Bay, Ore.)
Kristin Hein, Northwest Nazarene (F, 5-11, Sr, Tualatin, Ore.)
Hanna Johansson, Alaska Anchorage (F, 6-2, So, Gothenburg, Sweden)
Kelsie Gourdin, Alaska Anchorage (F, 5-10, Jr, Littleton, Colo.)
Sophie Russell, Central Washington (W, 5-10, So, Lacey, Wash.)
WBCA/STATE FARM COACHES ALL-AMERICA FINALISTS
West Region
Daesha Henderson, Seattle Pacific
Chelsea Carlisle, UC San Diego (G, 5-7, So)
Reyana Colson, Cal Poly Pomona (G, 5-6, Jr)
Amanda Dunbar, Western Washington (G, 5-9, Jr)
Jessica Summers, Western Washington (F, 6-1, Sr)
