2018-19 All-CCAA Women's Basketball Team Announced
Video release
HAYWARD, Calif. – It should come as no surprise to those familiar with CCAA women’s basketball that the undefeated UC San Diego Tritons headline the league’s 2018-19 All-CCAA Team and major award winners, starting with Player of the Year Mikayla Williams.
Williams, a junior from Meath Park, Saskatchewan, Canada, has helped guide the Tritons to an unparalleled season, where UC San Diego stands as one of only two teams yet to suffer defeat in 2018-19. She is in the top two the CCAA in multiple statistical categories including leading the league in points per game (19.8) and field goal percentage (55.4) to pace the top-scoring offense on the West Coast. She has also scooped up 281 total rebounds, fourth in the CCAA, to go along with a second-best 1.74 blocks per game, and she’s one of five women across the league to average a double-double for the season. Williams is the second-straight Triton to receive the CCAA’s top award.
Williams, also an All-CCAA first-team selection, and the only woman to repeat on the list, is joined by teammate Joleen Yang for first-team honors in 2018-19. UC San Diego stands as one of two teams with multiple selections in the 10-member squad.
Three of those slots are taken up by Humboldt State, headlined by CCAA Newcomer of the Year Alexia Thrower. The junior from Las Vegas burst on the scene for the Jacks, tying a conference-best 15 double-doubles, as she stands in second in average scoring (17.6 ppg), second only to Williams. Thrower is the second consecutive Humboldt State woman to earn top newcomer status.
She is joined on the All-CCAA first team by 2016-17 Freshman of the Year Tyra Turner and Isamar Conde. The CCAA assists leader, Turner joined rarified company in February, posting a triple-double for the Jacks. The trio of Thrower, Turner and Conde combine to account for over 45 points, 21 rebounds, nine assists and five steals per night.
The remaining five women to land on the first-team come from five schools, with Sonoma State double-double getter Ugochi Anudokem representing Sonoma State, and the CCAA’s steals leader Nautica Morrow hailing from Cal State Dominguez Hills. Seniors Jasmine Sauser of Cal Sate San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona’s Jordyn Shane are joined by Jon’Nae Vermillion of Cal State San Marcos to round out the selections. The foursome of Sauser, Shane, Morrow and Vermillion are each in the top 10 in the league in scoring along with Williams, Thrower and Conde.
Triton first-year player Brianna Claros was voted CCAA Freshman of the Year, highlighted by a 2.19 assist-to-turnover ratio, good for 22nd in the nation. Dishing out a team-best 3.41 assists per game, Claros also adds six points per night to the scoresheet.
Rounding out the conference accolades for the 2018-19 season is Coach of the Year Heidi VanDerveer. Now in her seventh season at the helm of UC San Diego, VanDerveer is riding a four-year streak of claiming Coach of the Year as voted on by her peers. She is the lone coach in CCAA history to record the award on four straight occasions, and one of three to earn at least four career honors as CCAA Coach of tye Year joining Paul Thomas (Cal Poly Pomona), Van Girard (Cal State Dominguez Hills), and Darlene May (Cal Poly Pomona).
All-Conference selections and awards are voted on annually by the league’s 13 coaches at the conclusion of the regular season.
| 2018-19 CCAA Women’s Basketball Awards |
| Player of the Year: |
Mikayla Williams, UC San Diego |
| Newcomer of the Year: |
Alexia Thrower, Humboldt State |
| Freshman of the Year: |
Brianna Claros, UC San Diego |
| Coach of the Year: |
Heidi VanDerveer, UC San Diego |
| All-CCAA First Team |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
| Ugochi Anudokem |
Jr. |
F |
Sonoma State |
San Jose |
| Isamar Conde |
Sr. |
F |
Humboldt State |
El Dorado Hills |
| Nautica Morrow |
Sr. |
G/F |
Cal State Dominguez Hills |
Los Angeles |
| Jasmine Sauser |
R-Sr. |
G |
Cal State San Bernardino |
La Mirada |
| Jordyn Shane |
Sr. |
G |
Cal Poly Pomona |
Victorville |
| Alexia Thrower |
Jr. |
F |
Humboldt State |
Las Vegas |
| Tyra Turner |
Jr. |
G |
Humboldt State |
San Bernardino |
| Jon’Nae Vermillion |
R-Jr. |
F |
Cal State San Marcos |
Corona |
| Mikayla Williams |
So. |
F |
UC San Diego |
Meath Park, SK, Canada |
| Joleen Yang |
Sr. |
G |
UC San Diego |
San Francisco |
| All-CCAA Second Team |
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
| McKena Barker |
Sr. |
F |
Chico State |
Chico |
| Emma Forel |
Sr. |
F |
Cal State San Marcos |
Lyon, France |
| Haleigh Hatfield |
Jr. |
F |
UC San Diego |
Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| Ahlisha Henderson |
Jr. |
C |
Cal State Dominguez Hills |
Van Nuys |
| Rebecca Islas |
Jr. |
F |
Cal Poly Pomona |
Boyle Heights |
| Savannah McGill |
Sr. |
F |
Cal State East Bay |
Lacey, Wash. |
| Sydney Sharp |
Jr. |
G |
UC San Diego |
North Tustin |
| Jhaina Stephens |
Sr. |
F |
San Francisco State |
East Palo Alto |
| Chiderah Uzowuru |
Sr. |
G |
Cal State LA |
Inglewood |
| Elayshia Woolridge |
Sr. |
G |
Cal State East Bay |
Oakland |
| Honorable Mention |
| Lea Anderson (CSUDH); Kayla Bibb (CSUSB); Kyanna Davis (STAN); Christine Delapina (CSULA); Toni Edwards (SFSU); Akayla Hackson (CSUSM); Kayla Sato (UCSD); Shay Stark (CHICO); Monica Todd (CPP); Madison Wong (CHICO) |