March 3, 2008

Anderson is Big Ten Player of the Year

WISCONSIN, Madison – Wisconsin senior guard Jolene Anderson (Port Wing, Wis.) became the first Badger to be named the Big Ten Player of the Year according to a vote of the conference media. Anderson was also named first team All-Big Ten for a second-straight season by both the coaches and media voting panels. Anderson, who was the Big Ten scoring leader for a second consecutive year, averaged 19.8 points per game in all games, and 19.6 in conference only games. She was the pre-season conference player of the year, and is on the Wade and Wooden national honors watch lists.

Also earning player of the year honors by the coaches vote was Jantel Lavendar of Ohio State, becoming the first freshman to win the award, while also sweeping Freshman of the Year honors from both the coaches and media. Lavender finished the conference schedule ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring with 17.8 points per game and first in rebounding with 9.7 boards per contest.

The all-time leading scorer for men and women at Wisconsin, Anderson has established a number of career-highs in scoring and games played. She has started every game as a Badger, a school record 121 consecutive games. With her fourth All-Big Ten team recognition, Anderson is just the ninth Badger to earn first team status and multiple year conference honors. She was the 2005 Freshman of the Year, and earned second team All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore, and third team honors as a freshman.

Other Badgers receiving post season honors were senior Janese Banks (Indianapolis) who was named third team All-Big Ten by the media, and received honorable mention by the coaches. The coaches named freshman Lin Zastrow (Jefferson, Wis.) to the five-player Big Ten All-Freshman team. Sophomore Brittany Heins (Postville, Iowa) was named Wisconsin's Sportmanship Award honoree.

Anderson has led the Badgers in scoring and rebounding for four years. The Port Wing, Wis., native was the fastest UW player to collect 1,000 and 1,500 points, and the only player to score 2,000 career points. She ranks among the top in the Big Ten in a number of other major categories including fourth in rebounding with 7.6 per game. She is currently seventh in Big Ten career scoring with 2,267 points.

Banks has been the second-leading scorer for the Badgers the past four years this season averaging 13.4 points per game (11th in the Big Ten), and leads the team in free throws made and attempted for the fourth season.

Heins has played a reserve role this season but was singled out by the UW coaches as epitomizing the sportsmanship criteria which includes student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.

Honored as Coach of the Year by both panels was Lisa Bluder from Big Ten co-champion Iowa. OSU, the other co-champion, had the Freshman of the Year in Janetel Lavendar, and the defensive player of the year in Shavelle Little.

*LOCAL MEDIA NOTE: Media availability for uw players and coaches prior to
the Big Ten Tournament has been changed to Tues. at 6:30 p.m. The Badger
have to leave for the Big Ten Championship Wed. Afternoon.*

Wisconsin Athletic Communications Tamara J. Flarup 3/3/2008 6:33:15 PM

Stats

All-Big Ten – MEDIA

First Team
JENNA SMITH, ILL
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Emily Fox, MINN
Jantel Lavender, OSU
JOLENE ANDERSON, WIS

Second Team*
Jamie Braun, IND
Whitney Thomas, IND
Kristi Smith, IOWA
Leslie Knight, MINN
Marscilla Packer, OSU
Lakisha Freeman, PUR

Third Team#
Johanna Solverson, IOWA
Brianne O'Rourke, PSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
Janese Banks, WIS

Honorable Mention
Lori Bjork, ILL
Wendy Ausdemore, IOWA
Carly Benson, MICH
Jessica Minnfield, MICH
Krista Phillips, MICH
Brittney Thomas, MSU
Ashley Ellis-Milan, MINN
Amy Jaeschke, NU
Ashlee Trebilcock, OSU
Kamela Gissendanner, PSU
Tyra Grant, PSU
FahKara Malone, PUR

Player of the Year
Jolene Anderson, WIS

Freshman of the Year
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU

Coach of the Year
Lisa Bluder, IOWA

All Big Ten – COACHES

First Team
Jenna Smith, ILL
Kristi Smith, IOWA
Emily Fox, MINN
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Jolene Anderson, WIS

Second Team
Jamie Braun, IND
Johanna Solverson, IOWA
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Leslie Knight, MINN
Marscilla Packer, OSU

Third Team*
Lori Bjork, ILL
Whitney Thomas, IND
Carly Benson, MICH
Kamela Gissendanner, PSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
Lakisha Freeman, PUR

Honorable Mention
Jessica Minnfield, MICH
Kalisha Keane, MSU
Ashlee Trebilcock, OSU
Tyra Grant, PSU
Brianne O'Rourke, PSU
FahKara Malone, PUR
Janese Banks, WIS

Defensive POY
Shavelle Little, OSU

All-Defensive Team
Kim Roberson, IND
Allyssa DeHaan, MSU
Shavelle Little, OSU
Danielle Campbell, PUR
FahKara Malone, PUR

Freshman of the Year
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU

All-Freshman Team
Kalisha Keane, MSU
Brittney Thomas, MSU
Amy Jaeschke, NU
JANTEL LAVENDER, OSU
Lin Zastrow, WIS

Player of the Year
Jantel Lavender, OSU

Coach of the Year
Lisa Bluder, IOWA

Sixth Player of the Year
Megan Skouby, IOWA

Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
# Fewer honorees due to additional honorees on second team

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONORES
Illinois – Lori Bjork
Indiana – Whitney Thomas
Iowa – Stacy Schlapkohl
Michigan – Krista Clement
Michigan State – Alisa Wulff
Minnesota – Leslie Knight
Northwestern – Jenny Eckhart
Ohio State – Alice Jamen
Penn State – Kamela Gissendanner
Purdue – Lauren Mioton
Wisconsin – Brittany Heins