Women's Basketball | 4/1/2016 5:47:00 PM

PHOTO GALLERY

STATESBORO, Ga. – The Georgia Southern women's basketball team held their annual end of the year banquet Thursday night inside the Bishop Center and paid special recognition to the achievements of the student-athletes both on the court as well as off it, and had a little fun as well.
 
The banquet signified the official culmination of the previous season and was used to recognize the two seniors as well as some stand out players from the rest of the team.
 
"I believe that it is very important to acknowledge outstanding achievement by our student-athletes both on and off the court," Head Coach Kip Drown said. "To be able to do that in front of family, peers, and members of our University makes it even more special. It was a great night to be able to say 'Thank you.' to all the people who sacrifice so much for our program."
 
Junior guard Angel McGowan received her Sun Belt All-Conference Second Team award and was recognized for her Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Week honor. She also picked up the team's "Defensive Award."
 
Seven players, both current and former, were recognized for earning 2014-15 Sun Belt All-Academic Honor Roll awards. Patrice Butler, Anna Claire Knight, Jessica Marcus and Alexis Sams were all named to the Commissioner's List with a grade point average of 3.50 or higher while Alexis Foulks, Briana Jones and Jessica Mlaska all were named to the Academic Honor Roll with a GPA of 3.00 to 3.49.
 
Head coach Kip Drown and his staff also recognized members of the team with team statistical awards. Sams took home the "Assist Award", "3-Point Field Goal Percentage Award", and the "Took One for the Team Award" while Butler earned the "Field Goal Percentage Award" as well as the "Free Throw Percentage Award". Sister Sierra Butler joined Patrice in earning the "Rebounding Award".
 
The night culminated with Coach Drown awarding the team's newest and highest award, the "ALL Award" to Sams. In his 28 years of coaching, Drown says "the winners (of this award) are a roll call of players that I have the highest regard and admiration for. They have been the cream of the crop and include an outstanding list of players that I have been blessed to have coached. We have found that different players have different strengths when it comes to the game but this award is designed to recognize the one player who, according to their teammates and coaches, best incorporates ALL 4 traits: Ability, Attitude, Labor (work ethic), and Love (passion for the game)."
 
The "All Award" is derived from the concept of giving ones "All" in everything that a player does. Both players and coaches voted on the award and it was not based on talent or statistics, but rather answered four criteria: which player got the most out of their ability, which player had the best attitude on the team, which player had the best work ethic and which player had the most love and passion for playing the game.
 
 
 
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