Posted by Scott Cummings - Sat, Mar 8, 2008 - [ Women's Basketball ] - Viewed 266 times
Chanel Ross leads NAIA Division I in assists and steals
Chanel Ross leads NAIA Division I in assists and steals

(LEBANON, Ill., March 8)—The American Midwest Conference has released its list of All-Conference award winners for 2007-08. The recipients were announced following the conclusion of the AMC Tournament championship contest.

In a vote of the conference’s eight head coaches, Chanel Ross from Harris-Stowe State University was named the 2007-08 AMC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. Ross, a senior guard from Philadelphia, Pa., was recognized for her all-around play in leading the Hornets into the NAIA Division I top 25 poll for the first time in school history. Ross averaged 20.1 points, 8.3 assists and 6.7 steals per contest. She also grabbed 6.3 rebounds per outing. Ross leads NAIA Division I in assists and steals, and ranks among the organization’s top 10 in scoring this season. Ross was a four-time AMC Player of the Week honoree and two-time NAIA Division I National Player of the Week recipient in 2007-08.

Rachel Oswald of Columbia College was selected as the AMC Newcomer of the Year. Oswald, a sophomore forward from Boonville, Mo., earned the award as the league’s top transfer player by averaging 15.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in the regular season. Oswald led the conference in rebounding and has posted 14 double-doubles this season. Oswald is the third consecutive Columbia player to earn AMC Newcomer of the Year accolades.

Taking home honors as the 2007-08 AMC Freshman of the Year is Ashley Agee from McKendree University. Agee, a guard from Moberly, Mo., was second on the team in scoring at 11.8 points per contest and third in assists with 54. Agee led the Bearcats in scoring for most of the year and has started in all but two games at guard. She is the second McKendree player to capture the AMC’s top freshman honor in the last three years, joining Kelsey Park, who won the award in 2005-06.

Melissa Ringhausen of McKendree University has earned AMC Coach of the Year honors for 2007-08. Now in her 11th season at McKendree, Ringhausen led the Bearcats to a 21-8 regular-season record. McKendree captured the AMC regular-season championship with a 13-1 record, and the team entered post-season play riding a 10-game win streak. Through the end of the 2007-08 regular season, Ringhausen has posted a career coaching record of 229-136 at McKendree.

Listed below is the complete list of 2007-08 AMC women’s basketball award winners. For a PDF copy of the All-Conference team and award recipients, click here:

2007-08 AMC Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team
2007-08 AMC Player of the Year: Chanel Ross, Harris-Stowe State University (G, Sr., Philadelphia, Pa.)
2007-08 AMC Newcomer of the Year: Rachel Oswald, Columbia College (F, So., Boonville, Mo.)
2007-08 AMC Freshman of the Year: Ashley Agee, McKendree University (G, Fr., Moberly, Mo.)
2007-08 AMC Coach of the Year: Melissa Ringhausen, McKendree University (11th season at McKendree, overall record of 229-136*)

* -- Record through end of the 2007-08 regular season

First-Team All-Conference
Whitney Davis, Columbia College (G, So., Boonville, Mo.)
Rachel Oswald, Columbia College (F, So., Boonville, Mo.)
Chanel Ross, Harris-Stowe State University (G, Sr., Philadelphia, Pa.)
Bethany Borrenpohl, University of Illinois at Springfield (F, Sr., Venedy, Ill.)
Emily Best, McKendree University (F, Jr., Wood River, Ill.)
Heather Elders, McKendree University (F, Sr., Energy, Ill.)
Nikia Henry, Missouri Baptist University (G, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.)
Julie Leach, Missouri Baptist University (F/C, Jr., Beaver Dam, Ky.)
Stephanie Burger, William Woods University (G, Sr., Columbia, Mo.)

Nompumelelo Shezi, Williams Baptist College (F, Sr., Durban, South Africa)

Honorable Mention All-Conference
Whitney Widaman, Columbia College (G, So., Mexico, Mo.)
Kashundria Berry, Hannibal-LaGrange College (G, So., Houston, Texas)
Shundrae Faulk, Hannibal-LaGrange College (F, Jr., Grapeland, Texas)
Sheri Jones, Harris-Stowe State University (F, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.)
Cherena Douglass, University of Illinois at Springfield (F, Jr., Springfield, Ill.)
Ashley Agee, McKendree University (G, Fr., Moberly, Mo.)
Jill Sutton, William Woods University (G, Fr., Warrenton, Mo.)

Sequita Hightower, Williams Baptist College (G, Sr., Huntsville, Texas)

Academic All-Conference (minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale)
Columbia College
Whitney Davis, Davida Moore, Nacy Thornsberry

Hannibal-LaGrange College
Nicole Backerman, Rebekah Cline, Stacie Cline, Sara Rondeau, Angie Schwagmeyer, Kim Schwagmeyer, Katie Wright

Harris-Stowe State University
Sheri Jones, Carmen Weaver

University of Illinois at Springfield
Susan Coryell, Keyria Rodgers, Emmarie Snyder, Erika Snyder, Shana Stein

McKendree University
Ashley Agee, Heather Elders, Kasie Frazier, Katie Fullerton, Julie Garrison, Suzy Gerler, Haley Klingelhoefer, Katie Kovarik, Amanda Lance, Kelsey Park, Leah Shan, Cathy Webb, Brooke Zachry

Missouri Baptist University
Miroslava Harcegova, Brooke Hofmeister, April Redus, Claire Zajdel

William Woods University
Stephanie Burger, Kelsey Frey, Jill Sutton, Skye Wade, Amanda Workman

Williams Baptist College
Marissa Johnson, Dez Jones, Nompumelelo Shezi, Ann Whiteside