Mississippi University for Women senior guard – and Columbus native – Rokila Wallace has been named as the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Week for Division I women’s basketball, the USCAA announced Tuesday. It is the second time this season that Wallace has garnered the USCAA’s weekly award.
In three games last week, Wallace averaged a double-double of 23.0 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. She also amassed 7 assists, 4 steals and even blocked a shot.
“Rokila has continued to excel this year, and this recognition is a true testament to her tireless motor,” Owls coach Drew Johnson said. “She’s always going hard, looking for ways to attack the opposition any way she can. She leads us in rebounding while playing guard, which is an impressive statistic in itself.”
Through the Owls’ first 12 games, Wallace has tallied double-digit scoring in every contest and reached 20-plus points seven times, including a school record 47 points on Nov. 23 at Birmingham-Southern College.
She is the USCAA’s national leader in free throws made (8.8) and attempted (12.2) per game. Wallace also ranks No. 2 in the nation in scoring (23.3 p.p.g.), No. 11 in free throw percentage (72.1) and – as a 5-foot-7 guard – is No. 10 in rebounds (9.3).
The Owls (1-10) are off until a Jan. 15 trip to Pensacola, Florida, to face Pensacola Christian College. Their next game at Pohl Gym will be Jan. 25 against Crowley’s Ridge College.
State’s Sims, Tanner get preseason honors
Mississippi State pitcher Landon Sims was named first-team preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball, while catcher Logan Tanner was named to the second team, the publication announced Tuesday.
The Bulldogs were ranked ninth in Collegiate Baseball’s preseason poll, the third consecutive season Mississippi State will begin the year ranked in the top 10.
Sims was a consensus first-team All-America selection and earned All-SEC honors in 2021. The right-hander was 5-0 with 13 saves in 25 appearances, recording a 1.44 ERA in 56 1/3 innings of work while striking out 100 and walking 15.
Tanner was named to the All-SEC Newcomer team after batting .287 with a team-high 15 home runs, 13 doubles and 53 RBIs. He slugged .525 and registered a .382 on base percentage in 67 appearances.
Tanner (No. 9) and Sims (No. 20) are also among D1Baseball’s Top 100 MLB Draft Prospects for 2022.
Owls name 137 to Athletic Director’s Honor Roll
Mississippi University for Women athletics department has announced its list of Athletic Director’s Honor Roll student-athletes for Fall 2021.
In all, 138 Owls received accolades for their work in the classroom, 88 of whom had a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and 48 of which had a perfect 4.0 term grade. To qualify for The W Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, student-athletes must have a minimum GPA of 3.00 or better for the term.
The 138 honorees represent 62 percent of The W’s total population of 221 student-athletes within the university’s 17 intercollegiate sports programs. Ten are two-sport athletes for the Owls.
“We are so proud of all of these young women and men,” Director of Athletics Jennifer Claybrook said. “Their dedication to the rigors and responsibilities of being a member of an athletics team, as well as reaching a high level of achievement in the classroom, is both impressive and inspiring.
“This is what the NCAA Division III is all about and why The W is going to be a perfect fit with its membership.”
The Owls’ student-athletes earning Athletic Director’s Honor Roll recognition for Fall 2021 are (*-denotes 3.5 GPA or higher):
Baseball: Cole Adams*, Avery Anderson, Dane Bevell, Ethan Carrouth, Landon Clark, Aulden Easterling*, Blake Estabrook*, Joel Estabrook*, Tanner Evans*, Brandon Fenimore, Aubrey Gann*, Chase Leblanc*, Bret Linton*, Brady Little*, Ryan Smith*, Tyler Temple, Hunter Yeatman*.
Basketball, men’s: Clay Blanton, Tanner Collins, Kenterrius Davison, Dariun Doss, Jaylon Jones, Grayson Long*, Isaiah Stevenson*, Aaron Young, Milos Zeradjanin.
Basketball, women’s: Jaycee Haynes, Audrey Foreman*, Maddie Guerin*,Christiana Harris, Emma Hicks, Cassidy Murphy, Annette Sparks*, Katie Beth Williams* (also softball).
Cross country, men’s: Carson Holly (also track & field), Tavonta Macon.
Cross country, women’s: Lillian Ergle* (also softball), Amyah Kahey* (also track & field), Aziyah McGhee (also track & field), Kaitlyn McRee (also track & field), Vonisha Towns (also track & field).
Golf, men’s: Mark Furnari*, Brandon Jordan*, Logan Pannell, Brady Scola*, Carson Suber*, Connor Wilder
Golf, women’s: Olivia Derbyshire*, Ta’Dashia Flowers, Chesne Joyner*.
Soccer, men’s: Paulo Carneiro*, Dalton Culpepper, Xavier Harrison (also baseball), Terrell Johnson*, Vini Lopes*, Joshua Martin, Pedro Santana*, Luiz Santos*, Joao Schroeder*, Kie VanCourt*, Jacob Vickers*, Dorian Winters.
Soccer, women’s: Leah Anderson*, Shelbi Box, Megan Brown, Leah Crabtree*, Shaderia Fairley, Brendaisha Garrett, Rebecca Gregory*, Hannah Helms, Elizabeth Holland*, Millie Mask*, Lindsey Moyle*, Adrianna Parsons, Elizabeth Truelock*, Haven Tuggle*, Layla Wilson.
Softball: Makalyn Cowley, Madison Crosby*, Megan Cummins, Jessica Deming*, Lauren Duckworth*,Rylie Grisham*, Katelyn Hicks, Maddy Kirkland*, Macy Nordquist*, Jaelynn Palmer, Kaitlyn Parrish, Riley Phillips*, Kaylee Quimby*, Emily Rushing, Anna Sandlin*, Amelia Stalter*, Madison Suggs* (also volleyball), Madison Tipton*, Carley Wooten*, Laikyn Wright.
Tennis men’s: Jonathan Corpstein*, Jacob Davis, Michael Duncan*, Samuel Garrie*,Kory Scales*, Samuel Yarborough*.
Tennis, women’s: Karen Calzadilla*, Mandy Ferguson*, Karina Garcia*, Terraline Green, Laura Inman, Sarah Kackley, Mallory Parker*, Emma Potter, Nicole Rensink*, Maggie Taylor, Allison Topcik*, Kelly Williams.
Track & field, men’s: Dedrick Gates.
Volleyball: Hannah Duran* (also basketball), Olivia Eubanks*, Abby Fields*,Maggie Griggs, Zoe Hansen*, Sydney Horel*, Micaela Hudgins*, Briana Huerta-Ramirez*, Camryn Johnson*, Harleigh Kelly*, Jasmine Kelly*, DeAnna King*, Maggie Ledbetter*, Karmen McCrory*, Evelyn Pruitt*, Amonie Silas*, Llayne Skinner*, Jadelyn Trice*, Sarah White*.
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