Daktronics Women’s All-South Atlantic Region Team Announced

BOWIE, MD, March 11, 2003---The 2003 Daktronics All-South Atlantic Region First Team has been announced. There were a number of gifted players in the region from the three conferences (South Atlantic Conference, Peach Beach Conference and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) as indicated by the following first and second teams. The SAC placed one representative on the First Team, and three more on the Second Team.

As selected by the sports information directors in the South Atlantic Region, the 2003 Daktronics All-South Atlantic Region First Team consists of: Denisha Ferguson (Kennesaw State University), Jessica Guarneri (Wingate University), Allyson Hardy (Bowie State University), Tishay Lewis (Armstrong Atlantic University) and Cateria Shaw (Clayton College and State University).

Surprisingly, Lewis will be the only player from the first team to be participating in this year's NCAA South Atlantic Regional Tournament.

Those named to the first team will now be placed on the national ballot and be in the running to be named a 2003 Daktronics All-American.

Any of the players on the second team could just have easily been on the first team. Comprising this year's second team were: Skye Barber (University of North Florida); Maya Grady (Lenoir-Rhyne); Billie Haskins (Presbyterian College); Danyel Locklear (Catawba College) and Joi Surratt (Johnson C. Smith University).

Lewis, a 5-9 forward from Savannah, GA, hit the shot of the year for Armstrong Atlantic as she sank a 3-pointer with 6.3 seconds left in the PBC finals, giving her team a thrilling 56-55 win over Columbus State University and earning her PBC Tournament MVP. She was the 2003 PBC Player of the Year and Armstrong Atlantic (27-3) got the automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA Division II Women's South Atlantic Regional on the strength of her shot. In the title game she scored 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had three steals. For the season she averaged 18.0 ppg as well as hauling down 8.3 rebounds-per-game, good for third-best in the league.

Guarneri, a 6-1 forward from Piscataway, NJ, was the South Atlantic Conference Co-Player of the Year while leading the Bulldogs to a 18-10 record. She led the SAC in scoring and rebounding, averaging 19.5 points and 10.1 rebounds-per-game, respectively. She was also first in the conference in field goal percentage, making 217-of-356 field goal attempts (.610).

Hardy, a 5-6 guard from Germantown, MD, was named the 2003 CIAA Player of the Year when the conference stripped Naomi Mobley of the title. With or without the title, she still did not suffer a sophomore jinx. rather the opposite, as she led the Lady Bulldogs averaging 20.1 ppg. She played point guard just part of the season, but was still crafty enough to average four assists-per-game and grab 5.6 rebounds-per-game. With Hardy in the Bulldogs lineup, the future looks bright for the next two years.

Shaw, a 6-3 center out of Pearson, GA, led Clayton State and College to a 16-11 record in 2003 and was named to the 2003 Peach Belt All-Conference Team. She averaged 17.0 ppg, shooting a conference-best 61 percent (166-272) from the field. She also led the PBC in rebounding, picking them off at a 10.9 per-game clip. During the season she recorded 15 double-doubles in points and rebounds and scored in double digits in 25-of-27 games.

Ferguson, a 6-1 forward from Clarksville, TN, was a two-time PBC Player of the Week on her way to being named to the 2003 Peach Belt All-Conference Team. During the season, she recorded 13 double-doubles and led Kennesaw averaging 19 points and 9.7 rebounds-per-game. She had a 2003 PBC tournament performance that got her named to the 2003 Peach Belt All-Tournament Team.

Haskins, a 5-8 junior guard from Greensboro, Ga., has had a breakout season for the Blue Hose this year. She was named to the 2002-03 All-South Atlantic Conference first team while being named SAC Player of the Week on two occasions. She led team in scoring this season at 18.1 ppg while averaging 3.7 rpg, 3.2 apg and shooting 43.1% from the field, 44.1% from three-point land and 78.3% from the free throw line. Haskins set her career-high with 28 points on six made three-pointers in 76-49 victory over Newberry College. Her scoring average this season ranks fifth-best in program single-season history. She will enter the 2003-04 season with 828 career points and is within 172 points to reaching the 1,000-point plateau, the 15th in Blue Hose history. She currently ranks 8th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage and 35th in scoring average.

In addition, Haskins made 63 three-point field goals this season which is tied for fifth-best in program single-season history while her three-point field goal percentage this season (44.1%) is third-best by an Blue Hose player in program history. She earned the 2002-03 SAC Statistical Championship for three-point field goal percentage and for made three-pointer per game (2.31).

Grady was named Co-Player of the Year as well as the Food Lion SAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Locklear was a First Team All-SAC selection, and was named to the Food Lion SAC All-Tournament Team.

2003 Daktronics South Atlantic All-Region
First Team
Denisha Ferguson (Kennesaw State University)
Jessica Guarneri (Wingate University)
Allyson Hardy (Bowie State University)
Tishay Lewis (Atlantic State University)
Cateria Shaw (Clayton College and State University)
Second Team
Skye Barber (University of North Florida)
Maya Grady (Lenoir-Rhyne)
Billie Haskins (Presbyterian College)
Danyel Locklear (Catawba College)
Joi Surratt (Johnson C. Smith University)