ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum University placed three players on the 2020-21 South Atlantic Conference Women's Basketball All-Conference team, the SAC office announced Wednesday.
Forward Maddie Sutton was a first-team selection, while guards Jalia Arnwine and Brianna Dixon earned honorable mention after helping the Pioneers to a 15-3 regular-season record and second place in the SAC standings. All three players earned All-Conference recognition for the first time in their respective careers.
Sutton and guard Marta Rodrigues were also recognized as SAC statistical champions, with Sutton leading the conference in rebounding at 15.3 per game and Rodrigues pacing the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.64-to-1.
Sutton finished the regular season ranked sixth in the SAC in scoring average at 16.3 points per game and led the conference with 15.3 rebounds per contest. The graduate student from Walland, Tennessee is tied for the Division II lead in double-doubles with 16, including 12 in a row to end the regular season, and set a school single-game record with 25 rebounds against Carson-Newman on Jan. 20.
Sutton scored a career-high 33 points against Coker on Feb. 20, and averaged 22.8 points and 15.0 rebounds per game during six games in February. During the regular season, she shot 45 percent (100-for-222) from the field and 73.6 percent (89-for-121) at the foul line while also averaging 3.4 assists per game. For her career, Sutton is averaging 7.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in 99 career games, and ranks sixth in program history with 730 rebounds.
Arnwine was second on the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game and led the Pioneers in three-point shooting with 42, seventh-most in the SAC. The senior from Knoxville, Tennessee scored in double figures 13 times in 18 regular-season games, including a career-high 25 points against Mars Hill on Jan. 13. Arnwine hit a career-best six three-pointers and scored 22 points against Lincoln Memorial on Feb. 17, followed by 22 points at Coker on Feb. 20.
In 99 career games, Arnwine is averaging 7.6 points per game and ranks fifth in program history with 142 three-pointers. A three-year starter at guard, Arnwine is shooting a career-best 36.2 percent from the field this season and is connecting at 70.2 percent from the foul line.
Dixon joined Sutton and Arnwine in double figures for the Pioneers, averaging 10.8 points per game while starting all 18 regular-season games. Dixon scored in double figures seven times, topped by a career-best 22 points against Carson-Newman on Jan. 20 and 21 points at Newberry on Dec. 5. Dixon ranked in the top 10 in the conference in field-goal percentage at 47 percent (70-for-149) and finished the regular season by going 10-for-17 from three-point range over the last eight games.
The senior from Decatur, Georgia joined the Pioneer program last season after two seasons at Walters State, and has averaged 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 50 career games at Tusculum.
Rodrigues ended the regular season with a 2.64-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, which led the SAC and ranked 12th in Division II. She had a positive ratio in all 18 regular-season games, including nine assists against just one turnover in 34 minutes at Mars Hill on Feb. 10. The junior from Lisbon, Portugal had seven or more assists in a game 11 times during the regular season while being charged with two or fewer turnovers 12 times. Rodrigues finished second in the conference in assists per game with 6.2 per contest.
As a team, the Pioneers led the SAC in scoring defense (57.5 points per game), field-goal percentage defense (34.6 percent) and three-point field goal percentage (37.7 percent). Tusculum held 11 of its 18 regular-season opponents under 60 points, and gave up 40 percent shooting just three times. On offense, the Pioneers hit 50 percent or better from three-point range four times, including 65.5 percent on a school-record 19 threes at Mars Hill on Feb. 10.
Braelyn Wykle of Carson-Newman, who averaged a league-high 23.3 points per game for the SAC regular season champions, was selected SAC Player of the Year, with Freshman of the Year honors to Emily Harman of Lenoir-Rhyne. Anderson center Samantha Michel was voted Defensive Player of the Year after averaging a SAC-best 2.52 blocks per game, while Coach of the Year honors went to Jamie Cluesman of UVA Wise after she led her Cavalier team to a fourth-place finish in the standings after being picked for ninth in the preseason.
Voting for the SAC postseason awards was conducted by the conference's 13 head coaches.
2020-21 South Atlantic Conference Women's Basketball All-Conference Agate
First Team
Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman
Maddie Sutton, Tusculum
Caitlyn Ross, UVA Wise
Kalee Johnson, UVA Wise
Bryanna Troutman, Wingate
Lindsey Taylor, Carson-Newman
Second Team
De'Ja Marshall, Mars Hill
Addison Byrd, Carson-Newman
Quin Byrd, Limestone
Shemya Stanback, Catawba
Samantha Michel, Anderson
Reagan McCray, Limestone
Honorable Mention
Haleigh Hatfield, Wingate
Nia Vanzant, UVA Wise
Jalia Arnwine, Tusculum
Brianna Dixon, Tusculum
Lauren Flowers, Lincoln Memorial
Skylar Boshears, Carson-Newman
All-Freshman
Emily Harman, Lenoir-Rhyne
Reagan Kargo, Limestone
Peyton Davis, Wingate
Payton Cronen, Newberry
Amari Davis, Queens
Player of the Year: Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman
Freshman of the Year: Emily Harman, Lenoir-Rhyne
Defensive Player of the Year: Samantha Michel, Anderson
Coach of the Year: Jamie Cluesman, UVA Wise
Statistical Champions
Points Per Game – Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman, 23.3
Three-Pointers Per Game – Reagan McCray, Limestone, 3.57
Rebounds Per Game – Maddie Sutton, Tusculum, 15.3
Blocked Shots Per Game – Samantha Michel, Anderson, 2.52
Field Goal Percentage – Lindsey Taylor, Carson-Newman, 63.8
Assists Per Game – Caitlyn Ross, UVA Wise, 6.9
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Marta Rodrigues, Tusculum, 2.64
Steals Per Game – Lyrik Thorne, Catawba, 3.00
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage – Reagan McCray, Limestone, 45.5
Free Throw Percentage – Reagan Kargo, Limestone, 87.8
Team Scoring Offense – Carson-Newman, 81.8
Team Steals – Lincoln Memorial, 151
Team Field Goal Percentage – Carson-Newman, 47.0
Team FG Percentage Defense – Tusculum, 34.6
Team Assists – UVA Wise, 338
Team Rebounds – Anderson, 1,004
Team Blocked Shots – Anderson, 156
Team Three-Point FG Percentage – Tusculum, 37.7
Team Scoring Defense – Tusculum, 57.5
Team Free Throw Percentage – UVA Wise, 76.8
Team Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – UVA Wise, 1.23
