Stanford's Ogwumike, UW's Neighbors earn national recognition

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - Four Pac-12 individuals received national recognition this week, including STANFORD’s Chiney Ogwumike, who was named a first team All-American by the Associated Press today, and an All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), which was announced yesterday. WASHINGTON head coach Mike Neighbors was named a finalist for the WBCA’s Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year.

 

In addition to the recognitions to Ogwumike and Neighbors, OREGON sophomore Jillian Alleyne (Fontana, Calif.) and CALIFORNIA junior Brittany Boyd (Berkeley, Calif.) were tabbed honorable mention All-Americans by the AP.

 

A two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year, Chiney Ogwumike (Cypress, Texas) is the Pac-12’s all-time leading scorer (2,629) and rebounder (1,547), averaging 26.6 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 60.8 percent from the field and recording 25 double-doubles. Leading the Cardinal (32-3) to the NCAA regional final tonight against North Carolina, she is the only player in the nation to rank in the top 10 in the country in each of those categories. Ogwumike is a four-time All-Pac-12 honoree and was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week a league-record nine times this season and 18 times in her career. An international relations major, Ogwumike was also named Stanford’s first-ever Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America of the Year earlier this year.

 

Mike Neighbors led the Huskies to a 20-14 record this season, including 10-8 in Pac-12 play, the second-straight year UW has posted a winning league record and the third-straight year it has recorded a 20-win season. Neighbors was an assistant coach on the Husky’s staff prior to taking over the head coaching duties this season. Among the wins Washington recorded this season was an upset of then-No. 3 Stanford, ending the Cardinal’s 58-game road Pac-12 winning streak. UW also had wins over California and Pac-12 Tournament Champion USC, both of which made trips to the NCAA Tournament this year. Neighbors led the Huskies this season to the quarterfinals of the WNIT.

 

Alleyne became the first player in Pac-12 history and fifth in NCAA history to haul down 500 rebounds in a single season. The sophomore forward led the country in rebounding (16.8 rpg) and double-doubles (29) this season. She ended the season with 519 boards, breaking the single-season Pac-12 mark and ranking fifth all-time in NCAA history. She also shattered the Conference’s single-season rebounding average record which had stood since 1992.

 

Boyd is one of five finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award and was named to the WBCA’s All-Region 8 team. A first team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honoree, she averaged 14.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.9 steals per game, leading the Golden Bears to a third-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. It is also the third-straight year the Bears have advanced to at least the second round of the postseason event. She led the Conference in steals per game, also ranking ninth in the country. Her assists per game average ranks 25th in the NCAA, as well.