ODESSA, Texas — The Lady Rattlers have been praised and recognized by Rattler fans and athletes alike this season. Thursday night, that praise became official.
Four Rattlers were honored by the Heartland Conference Team, announced Thursday on the eve of the Heartland Conference Women's Basketball Tournament.
Jackie Woods (Jr., San Antonio) was named All-Conference First Team for the second straight season and
Morgan Pullins (So., Franklin, Mich.) was named All-Conference Second Team, also for the second straight year. Newcomer
Lia Kioa's (Jr., Phoenix) spark was recognized as she earned All-Conference Honorable Mention and
Felicia Jacobs' (Sr., San Antonio) swift defense earned her the Conference Defensive Player of the Year award.
St. Mary's award-winning squad will start the semifinals of the conference tournament Friday against Newman University at 7:30 p.m. in Odessa, Texas. Links to live stats and live video for the game can be found on the conference's Tournament Central page at heartlandsports.org.
The four honored by league topped the Rattlers' stats all season, as well as the conference, and found their way into several spots in the St. Mary's record book.
Woods, who was named the league's Newcomer of the Year last season, led the Rattlers in scoring this season, averaging 15.9 per contest. Woods finished the regular season second in the league in scoring, third in steals (55) and seventh for most 3-pointers made (40). Woods earned her first-career Heartland Conference Player of the Week award this season, scoring a career-high 32 points against Oklahoma Christian to tie for fifth in the St. Mary's annals for most points in a single game. Woods also appeared in another record, becoming the new record holder for most steals in a single game with eight against Arkansas-Fort Smith.
Named Freshman of the Year her first season last year, Pullins continues to gain steam in her sophomore season. Pullins averaged 12 points and 7.6 per game this season, holding down the league's second-best field-goal percentage (54.7 percent). Selected Heartland Conference Player of the Week once this season, Pullins is also third in the league in rebounding and had a record-tying game this season, pulling down 19 boards against Newman to tie the St. Mary's single-game rebounding record.
Breaking records continued to be the norm for the Rattlers, especially in the fiery force that is Jacobs. This season, Jacobs set the St. Mary's record for most steals in a single season with 75 and is second for highest steals average at 2.9. At 162 career steals, the Heartland Conference Defensive Player of the Year is currently seventh for most career steals. But Jacobs is versatile, averaging 10.5 points per game and is 11th in the league in defensive rebounding despite her 5-foot-6 frame. Jacobs leads the Rattlers in double-doubles with five.
Kioa made quick work of her first season with the Rattlers, earning a starting spot just a few games into the season. The guard is known for her sharp shooting and has led the Rattlers' in scoring throughout several games this season, breaking double digits in 10 of her 21 games played. Kioa averaged 9.9 points per contest, sinking 23 three-pointers on the season.
St. Mary's University, as a Catholic Marianist University, fosters the formation of people in faith and educates leaders for the common good through community service, integrated liberal arts and professional education, and academic excellence. The University has six athletic national titles: men's basketball (1989–NAIA), baseball (2001–NCAA Div. II), softball (1986–NAIA and 2002–NCAA Div. II) and an individual national champion in men's golf (2006–NCAA Div. II) and a national academic championship in men's golf (2009–NCAA Div. II). St. Mary's also had more than 40 percent of its athletes named to conference, regional and/or national honor rolls this past year. St. Mary's student–athletes graduation rate is 65 percent, higher than the NCAA Division II average of 55 percent. To learn more about St. Mary's, visit www.rattlerathletics.com.
