Wlaf1450KINGSPORT, TN – The Bryan College women’s basketball team was well represented last Wednesday night when the Appalachian Athletic Conference announced this year’s conference awards at the AAC Tournament banquet held in Kingsport, Tennessee at the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center. For the second straight year, Bryan Head Coach Jason Smith was honored as the league’s Coach of the Year. The Lions’ regular-season finale two weekends ago not only marked Coach Smith’s 200th win as the leader of the Bryan women’s basketball program, but it also completed the team’s second consecutive undefeated conference campaign. Coach Smith and the Lions captured their third straight conference regular-season title this year, won 56 games in-a-row against conference opponents, went a spotless 24-0 in league play and own one of the best overall records in all of NAIA Div. II women’s basketball at 28-2, punched their ticket for a fourth straight season to the NAIA Div. II National Tournament, and battled for a 13th-place ranking in the most recent NAIA Coaches’ Top-25 poll.
Athens, Tennessee native and former McMinn County High School standout, Kaitlynn Hennessee, was recognized for her stellar first year with the Lions, as the freshman guard was honored as the AAC Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team, All-Freshman Team, and All-Defensive Team. Hennessee is the team’s second-highest scorer this season, averaging 13.8 points per game and totaling 415 points while starting in all 30 contests. She also is the team’s rebounding leader with 174 total boards for an average of 5.8 per game. Her 81 assists are behind only one player. Hennessee is efficient on the offensive end, shooting 51 percent from the floor, 40 percent behind the arc, and 73 percent at the foul line. She also has the ability to disrupt opponents on defense, as she leads the team with 43 blocks and 52 steals. Her total blocks rank 31st in the country while her 1.48 blocks per game rank 36th. In the AAC, Hennessee ranks 11th in scoring and scoring per game, 11th in free-throw percentage, 9th in steals, 17th in total rebounds, 4th in total blocks and blocks per game, 9th in assists, and 6th in assist/turnover ratio. Her well-rounded efforts led to three double-double performances. She was one of two Lions who were recognized by the AAC as a player of the week this year.
Also joining Hennessee on the All-Conference First Team were Karli Combs and Deandra Luna. This marks the third straight year that both juniors have earned First Team recognition. Combs is the third-highest scorer for the Lions this season totaling 393 points for a 13.1 points per game average. The sharpshooter from Rutledge, Tennessee has dealt most of her damage from the perimeter, dropping in a staggering 92 three’s on the season while hitting 41 percent of her looks from the outside. She’s also been a steady contributor for Bryan at the foul line, converting a team-best 89 percent. Her three-point shooting ranks amongst the best in the nation, ranking 7th in three’s made per game (3.06), 6th in total three’s made, and 18th in three-point percentage. In the AAC, Combs is 14th in total scoring, 17th in scoring per game, 1st in total made three’s and three’s made per game, and 2nd in three-point field goal percentage.
While Luna aids in both the scoring and rebounding categories averaging 10 points per game and 5 rebounds per game, her primary threat has been her remarkable passing ability that’s resulted in a team-high 191 assists. She ranks 4th in the NAIA in total assists, 4th in assists per game (6.36), and 7th in assist/turnover ratio. Amongst her fellow AAC members, she leads in total assists, assists per game, and assist/turnover ratio. Her 41-point performance back in December ties her for the 4th-highest scoring game this season in NAIA women’s basketball Div. II, and her lone triple-double accomplished this year puts her into an elite group of just 12 players in Div. II to achieve that type of phenomenal game. She accompanied Hennessee as the only other Lion to win an AAC Player of the Week.
Oak Ridge, Tennessee native Destiny Kassner followed up an impressive freshman campaign with a solid sophomore outing where the former Oak Ridge High School standout led the Lions in scoring, earning her the team’s lone All-Conference Second Team honor. She’s been a reliable performer for the Bryan squad, starting all 30 contests and averaging both 14.5 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game. She’s compiled 435 points, 147 boards, has handed out 30 assists, totaled 9 rejections, and gathered 29 steals. She’s also been incredibly efficient, shooting a team-best 58 percent from the floor, has sunk 39 percent of her tries from three-point range, and has made 80 percent at the charity stripe. Her outstanding field-goal percentage is the 8th-highest in the country and holds down the No. 1 spot in the AAC. Her total scoring and scoring per game are top-10 in the conference.
To be voted to the AAC Champion’s of Character Team, an individual must represent the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character program: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership. Faith Simmons is the Lions’ representative to the Champion’s of Character Team this year.
Five Lions were named to the All-Academic Team: Sarah Cain, Karli Combs, Braylee Franklin, Destiny Kassner, and Tristan McClellan. Nominees must have completed two terms of attendance and attained a grade point average of 3.25 or higher.
For the full list of the 2019-20 AAC women’s basketball awards, click here. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 03/10/2020-6AM)