HPU’s DeUnna Hendrix Named Big South Coach of the Year

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point University women’s basketball head coach DeUnna Hendrix was named the Big South Coach of the Year and Kaylah Keys was named the Freshman of the Year, the league announced Sunday. Stacia Roberston was also named to the All-Big South first team.

Key was named the Big South Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Conference first team and All-Freshman team. Robertson was named first team All-Conference and All-Academic. DeAnneisha Jackson was voted to the All-Freshman Team.

“Stacia, Kaylah and DeAnneisha are so deserving of All-Conference honors,” Hendrix said. “Despite the adversity this team has faced, they have continued to fight and played a significant role in our team achievements. To say I am honored to have the opportunity to coach these young ladies is an understatement.”

Hendrix was named the Big South Coach of the Year after guiding HPU to a Big South regular season championship. High Point tied the Div. I record for overall wins with 20 and set the record for Big South wins with 16. The Panthers also set a single-season record averaging 72.6 points per game under Hendrix this season.

This is the fourth time a High Point coach has earned Big South Coach of the Year. Tooey Loy took home the honor twice (2004-05 and 2006-07). Joe Ellenburg was named Coach of the Year in 2000-01.

Keys is the Big South Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Conference first team and All-Freshman team. Keys led the Big South in scoring with 17.9 points per game, improving the average to 20.3 points per game in Big South play. Keys took home seven Big South Freshman of the Week honors this season, tying the record for most in a season with. Keys scored 20 or more points in 11 of HPU’s 20 Big South games this season. She is the only freshman on the first team this season.

The guard set the HPU single-season records for threes made (70) and free throws made (129). Her 519 points are a freshman single season record and just 18 away from the overall single-season record of 536 set by Cheyenne Parker last year.

Keys is the fourth High Point player to take home Big South Freshman of the Year joining Shamia Brown (2008-09), Mackenzie Maier (2007-08) and Nicki Fontleroy (2000-01).

Robertson took home All-Big South first team and All-Academic team honors in her final season. She ranks in the top 10 in the league in rebounding, field goal percentage, steals and blocks. She has scores in double figures in seven of the last nine games for the Panthers and had seven-double-double on the season. Robertson also posted a 3.09 GPA in exercise science to earn a spot on the All-Academic team.

Jackson was named to the All-Freshman team. She averaged 7.9 points and 6.2 rebounds this season while playing in every game. She finished second in the league in freshman rebounding, seventh in freshman scoring and fourth in blocks. She Averaged 10.7 points, 5.9 rebounds during HPU’s seven-game Big South win streak.

High Point won its second Big South regular season championship this season and will be the No. 1 seed in the Big South tournament. The Panthers will face the winner of No. 8 UNC Asheville against No. 9 Radford on Thursday at noon. The Panthers swept both teams in the regular season. High Point is 2-1 against Asheville in championship play. The teams last met in the quarterfinals of the 2008-09 tournament with High Point winning 72-67. HPU is 2-0 against Radford in the Big South Tournament with wins in 2002-03 and 2011-12. High Point is 12-14 all-time in the Big South Tournament.

2013-14 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AWARDS

First Team
Dequesha McClanahan, Winthrop
Kaylah Keys, High Point
Ashley Rininger, Liberty
Stacia Robertson, High Point
AJ Jordan, Coastal Carolina

Second Team
Catrina Green, Gardner-Webb
Roslyn Presley, Campbell
Kiera Gaines, Campbell
Erica Williams, Winthrop
Karlee Taylor, Presbyterian

Honorable Mention
Schaquilla Nunn, Winthrop
Erin Bratcher, Charleston Southern
Ayana Avery, Radford
Angelica Henry, Coastal Carolina
Paige Love, UNC Asheville

All-Freshman
Kaylah Keys, High Point
Erica Williams, Winthrop
Mickayla Sanders, Liberty
DeAnnisha Jackson, High Point
Karsen Sims, Coastal Carolina
Simone Brown, Liberty

All-Academic Team
Ashley Rininger, Liberty
Casey Elliot, Campbell
Sherece Smith, Presbyterian College
Leah Wormack, UNC Asheville
AJ Jordan, Coastal Carolina
Dequesha McClanahan, Winthrop
Kiera McIvor, Radford
Jessica Parker, Longwood
Stacia Robertson, High Point
Kirklin Kirkpatrick, Charleston Southern
Catrina Green, Gardner-Webb

Player of the Year
Dequesha McClanahan, Winthrop

Freshman of the Year
Kaylah Keys, High Point

Defensive Player of the Year
Kiera Gaines, Campbell

Coach of the Year
DeUnna Hendrix, High Point

Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Ashley Rininger, Liberty