HIGH POINT, N.C. --- Tusculum College's Shynese Whitener has been named to the 2015-16 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Women's Basketball All-Southeast Region first team.

Whitener, a senior guard from Newton, North Carolina, becomes Tusculum's first NCAA Division II All-Region standout since Jasmine Gunn was a three-time honoree from 2008-11.

She helped the Pioneers finish with a 13-12 overall record and tied for eighth place in the South Atlantic Conference with an 11-11 league mark under first-year head coach Devan Carter, who guided Tusculum to its most conference wins in a season since 2011-12.

The 2016 All-Conference first team selection was honored as the SAC statistical champion after leading the league in scoring average (18.1 ppg - 4th in SE Region/43rd in NCAA II) and steals (3.16 spg - 1st in SE Region/8th in NCAA II), and also led the conference in minutes played (38.3 per game), while ranking seventh in free-throw percentage (79.4 percent) and eighth in assists per game (3.2). Whitener also averaged 5.2 rebounds per game and connected on 18 three-pointers to rank third on the team in each category.

The Newton-Conover High School graduate scored in double figures in 23 of the Pioneers' 25 games, including 11 performances of 20 or more points. Early in the season, Whitener became the first Pioneer in six years to score at least 20 points in five consecutive games. She also had at least one steal in 23 of the Pioneers' 25 games, including five games of at least six thefts. Whitener played every minute in 13 games this season, including a career-high 45 minutes in an 82-73 overtime win over Wingate on Jan. 30, and had two separate stretches in which she played three consecutive games without leaving the court for a substitute.

Whitener ended her Tusculum career with 1,221 points, which ranks her 13th on the program's all-time scoring list. Her 214 career steals are tied for fourth in the Tusculum record book, while her 480 career field goals (9th), 1,215 field goal attempts (6th), 287 assists (9th) and .787 free throw percentage (9th) are all ranked in the Tusculum top-10.

Sports information directors from NCAA Division II Southeast Region schools and conferences selected the two D2CCA All-Region teams. Whitener is now eligible for All-American status, which will be announced later in the month.

- TC - 

2015-16 D2CCA Women's Basketball All-Southeast Region Team
First Team
Jasmine Kearse, Limestone
Michelle Mitchell, Columbus State
Jennifer Monroe, Anderson (S.C.)
Kelsey Hutchins, North Georgia
Shynese Whitener, Tusculum

Second Team
Maurissa Lester, Limestone
Arieal Johnson, Mount Olive
Bre Crum, Lander
Samantha Creed, Newberry
Megan Pittman, Lincoln Memorial

Southeast Region Player of the Year: Jasmine Kearse, Limestone