ATLANTA, Ga. --- Tusculum College junior Jasmine Gunn has been named one of 41 national finalists for the 2010 State Farm Coaches' All-America Women's Basketball Team for NCAA Division II announced officials from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Tuesday.
The 41 finalists, who are voted upon by WBCA member coaches in each of the eight regions, are now in the running for selection to the 10-member State Farm Coaches' All-America Team. Gunn is joined by Shari Buford of Carson-Newman College, Anita Bulcher of Newberry College, Shannon McKever of Lander University, and Shannon Singleton-Bates of Francis Marion University as the five representatives from Region Three (Southeast Region).
This marks the second consecutive year Gunn has been named a national finalist for the State Farm All-America Team, having garnered WBCA All-America Honorable Mention honors last season. Gunn has been a tremendous part of the Pioneers' success this season, posting the program's highest individual scoring average in 13 years, while entering the week as the only player in the NCAA to rank in the top 35 in scoring, assists, and steals.
The 2010 South Atlantic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year led the Pioneers to the program's first-ever Food Lion SAC Tournament title on Sunday, earning Tournament MVP honors as Tusculum clinched its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. A native of Nashville, Tenn., Gunn has been superb over her last 10 games, posting eight 20-point performances in that span and averaging 26.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.
Gunn has led the Pioneers to a sterling 20-9 record this season, including a pair of five-game winning streaks, as Tusculum has won six straight and 11 of its last 13 entering this weekend's NCAA Division II Southeast Region Tournament. The Antioch High School graduate has poured in an even 600 points this year, which is the sixth-highest single-season total in program history.
The three-time All-SAC performer has jumped eight spots on the program's all-time scoring list this season, currently sitting sixth in school history with 1,506 career points through 91 games. Gunn recently became the first player in program history to surpass both the 1,000- and 1,500-point plateaus in the same season, pouring in 15 markers against Newberry on Sunday to lead the Pioneers to their first-ever SAC Tournament Championship.
Gunn has also dished out 144 assists this season to climb into third in program history, and sixth on the SAC's all-time list with 514 career helpers. Gunn is currently ranked in the top 10 in nine categories in the program record book, including assists per game (1st/5.6), free throws made (3rd/446), free throws attempted (3rd/569), and steals (4th/213).
Tusculum returns to the court on Friday when the Pioneers travel to Greenwood, S.C. to participate in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Tournament, hosted by Lander University. The seventh-seeded Pioneers, who are making their third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, will take on second-seeded No. 19 Clayton State University in the quarterfinal round at 2:30 p.m.
- TC -
Region 3
Shari Buford, Carson-Newman
Anita Bulcher, Newberry
Jasmine Gunn, Tusculum
Shannon McKever, Lander
Shannon Singleton-Bates, Francis Marion
