Drury, McKendree, Truman Pick Up GLVC Women’s Basketball Major Awards

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INDIANAPOLIS – Drury University sophomore forward Reese Schaaf and Truman State University freshman guard Molly Joyce, as well as McKendree University senior forward Naomi McDaniel and head coach Kari Kerkhoff have earned major postseason honors for the 2023-24 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Women’s Basketball season, the league office announced on Wednesday.
 
Schaaf was named Player of the Year, McDaniel earned Defensive Player of the Year, Joyce garnered Freshman of the Year, and Kerkhoff was dubbed Coach of the Year by her peers. In total, 30 student-athletes claimed All-Conference honors and five were named to the All-Freshman team, while 14 were chosen as GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship honorees for the sport and William Jewell College was selected as the team sportsmanship award winner.

The All-Conference awards are nominated and voted on by league coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
Player of the Year: Reese Schaaf, Sophomore, Forward, Drury

• Wins fourth Player of the Year award in Drury history and first since Paige Robinson was honored in 2020-21.
  • Earns second career major award after securing Freshman of the Year honors last season.
• Led league in field goal percentage (.599) and field goals made (191), while also finishing second in rebounds per game (9.8) and fourth in points per game (17.5) in 28 games played.
• Led league in GLVC-only contests for points per game (19.8), rebounds per game (11.0), field goals made (172) and field goal percentage (.621) in 22 games played.
• Added overall stats of 49 assists (1.8/game), 23 steals, and 13 blocks, while recording 40 assists (1.8/game) in GLVC matches plus 18 steals and 12 blocks.
• Named GLVC Player of the Week on Jan. 15, Jan. 29, Feb. 5, and Mar. 4.
• Helped Panthers to 23-5 overall record and 18-4 Conference record, as well as third seed in GLVC Tournament.
• One of two unanimous selections to the All-GLVC First Team, earning her second-straight All-Conference selection and first on the First Team.
  • Only underclassman represented on the First Team.

 
Defensive Player of the Year: Naomi McDaniel, Senior, Forward, McKendree

• Becomes McKendree’s first major award winner in program history.
• Finished first in the league overall in blocks per game (1.8) in 28 games, while also placing first in blocks per game (2.0) and 15th in steals per game (1.4) through 22 GLVC contests.
• Grabbed 225 (8.0/game) rebounds overall and 188 (8.5/game) in GLVC matches, landing sixth and fourth in the league rankings, respectively.
• Started all 28 games, averaging 14.1 points per game overall and 14.9 in GLVC-only games.
• Shot .552 from the field overall and .571 in GLVC action, placing third in the Conference in both.
• Named GLVC Player of the Week on Dec. 4.
• Named to All-GLVC First Team for her second career All-Conference selection and first on the First Team.

 
Freshman of the Year: Molly Joyce, Guard, Truman State

• Becomes Truman’s third Freshman of the Year and first since 2019-20 when Hannah Belanger garnered the award.
• Led league freshmen overall in minutes played (679), points per game (10.9), field goals made (104), and free throws made (67), while also ranking second in steals (31) and third in rebounds per game (3.4).
• Ranked first among freshmen in GLVC-only contests with 589 minutes played, 11.9 points per game, 93 field goals made, as well as finishing second in steals (25) and third in rebounds per game (3.8).

 
Coach of the Year: Kari Kerkhoff, McKendree

• Joins McDaniel in earning McKendree’s first major awards in program history.
• Led Bearcats to 20-8 overall record and 16-6 GLVC record, as well as the second seed in the GLVC Tournament after being voted to finish sixth in the league’s preseason poll.
• In addition to guiding McDaniel to a major award and All-Conference distinction, she mentored junior guard Clare Breden to a first-team selection and senior guard Madyson Harper to the All-GLVC Third Team.

Joining Schaaf, McDaniel, and Breden on the First Team were two others from Drury that included junior guard Caitlynn Daniels and graduate guard Beth Martin Matas, as well as Lewis University graduate guard Grace Hilber (unanimous), University of Illinois Springfield junior guard Jessenia Lawson, Maryville University graduate guard Carsyn Fearday, Truman State University graduate forward Ellie Weltha, and Upper Iowa University graduate guard Katie Tornstrom.
 
William Jewell College earned the sport’s GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Team Award, while 14 student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior were also recognized. These individuals must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees from full-time GLVC member institutions are now eligible to become one of their school's two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners, which will be announced at the end of the academic year.
 
A complete list of the 2023-24 All-GLVC team and postseason honors can be found below.
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Reese Schaaf, So., F, Drury
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Naomi McDaniel, Sr., F, McKendree
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Molly Joyce, G, Truman State
CHUCK MALLENDER COACH OF THE YEAR: Kari Kerkhoff, McKendree
 

FIRST TEAM ALL-GLVC Caitlynn Daniels, Jr., G, DU Beth Martin Matas, Gr., G, DU Reese Schaaf, So., F, DU # Jessenia Lawson, Jr., G, UIS Grace Hilber, Gr., G, LEWIS # Carsyn Fearday, Gr., G, MU Naomi McDaniel, Sr., F, MCK Clare Breden, Jr., G, MCK Ellie Weltha, Gr., F, TSU Katie Tornstrom, Gr., G, UIU

SECOND TEAM ALL-GLVC Elana Wells, Jr., G, UINDY Jenna Badali, R-Jr., G, LEWIS Taylor Gugliuzza, Sr., G, LEWIS Kathryn Schmidt, Sr., F, LEWIS Karlee Feldman, Gr., C, MU Antoinette Mussorici, Gr., G, MU Jalysa Stokes, Jr., G, UMSL Cymirah Williams, Jr., F, QU Keegan Sullivan, Sr., F, RU Mia Huberty, Jr., G, UIU

THIRD TEAM ALL-GLVC Anna Hitt, Jr., G, DU Liz Uhl, Sr., G, UIS Liv Becker, Jr., G/F, UINDY Haidyn Pitsch, Sr., G, MU Madyson Harper, Sr., G, MCK Katelynne Roberts, Jr., F/C, S&T Macie Conway, So., G, RU Tori Hamilton, Jr., C, SBU Brooke Evenson, Gr., G, UIU Ayden Shannon, So., G, WJC

 
# Unanimous Selection
 
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM 
Shariah Gailes, F, UIS
Kayla Rice, G, UIS
Mara Rieder, F, UMSL
Mariann Blass, G, QU
Molly Joyce, G, TSU
 
GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Anna Hitt, DU
Ella Mann, UIS
Patricia Chikamba, UINDY
Alayna Soukup, LEWIS
Maddy Meehan, MU
Mac Taylor, MCK
Eryn Puett, S&T
Tori Standefer, UMSL
Kealani Neves, QU
Michele Origliasso, RU
Kallyn Stumbo, SBU
Kaitlyn Patke, TSU
Mia Huberty, UIU
Libby Arnold, WJC
 
GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD TEAM WINNER
William Jewell