March 3, 2006

McKENDREE COLLEGE UPSETS MISSOURI BAPTIST UNIVERSITY TO WIN AMC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

(Lebanon, Ill.) – McKendree College rallied in the second half to post a 50-48 victory over Missouri Baptist University in the championship game of the 2006 American Midwest Conference Tournament Friday night in St. Louis. The win gives No. 3 seed McKendree the league's automatic bid to the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship in Jackson, Tenn. The 32-team, single-elimination event will be held March 15-21 in Jackson's Oman Arena.

Post-season awards for the AMC were presented after the championship game. LaTrice McMichel of Missouri Baptist University has been honored as the 2005-06 AMC Player of the Year. McMichel, a senior guard from Indianapolis, Ind., led the league in scoring during the regular season at 24.1 points per game. She also averaged 5.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals per contest. McMichel shot 45.8 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from three-point range and 81.7 percent from the foul line.

Jessica Wilkerson of Columbia College has earned AMC Newcomer of the Year accolades for 2005-06. Wilkerson, a junior guard from Fort Madison, Iowa, posted 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in regular-season action. Wilkerson shot 39.5 percent from the floor. She dished out a team-leading 115 assists and collected 82 steals as well.

The AMC Freshman of the Year is Kelsey Park of McKendree College. Park, a point guard from Wildwood, Mo., averaged 3.4 points and 2.5 rebounds for the Bearcats. Through regular-season play, Park was second on the team with 114 assists and 51 steals, while she was third with 15 blocked shots.

Earning his first AMC Coach of the Year award is Danny Wingate of Missouri Baptist University. Wingate guided the Spartans to a 23-6 overall record and the AMC regular-season title in his third season at the school. Missouri Baptist went 12-2 in league play. Wingate entered the AMC Tournament with a record of 59-32 at Missouri Baptist and 104-79 as a collegiate head coach.

A complete list of the 10-member AMC All-Conference team, the honorable mention squad and the academic all-conference team, is listed below. Members of the AMC Academic All-Conference team have earned at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

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