Williams, Richard Honored By WAC Coaches
DENVER-- Sophomore guard Cricket Williams has been named a first team All-Western Athletic Conference selection and to the All-Defensive Team, while Spartan head coach Janice Richard was named the WAC Coach of the Year on Sunday as voted on by the co
Williams is the first Spartan player to be named to any All-WAC team since the school joined the conference in 1996-97. She led the conference in scoring at 18.0 points per game and steals with 86, 3.31 pg. She also broke the school record for free throws made in a season with 131.
Richard is the first Spartan women’s basketball coach to be named conference coach of the year since 1978-79 when Sharon Chatman was named the NorCal Coach of the Year. Richard has turned the Spartan program around the past three seasons after a 3-24 record in 1999-2000.
San Jose State finished the regular season with a 17-10 overall record and 12-6 WAC mark. The team is the fourth seed at this week’s Williams WAC Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. The Spartans open the tournament against fifth seed Tulsa Wednesday evening at 8:30 p.m. CST.
2001-02 All-Western Athletic Conference Team
First Team all-WAC
Cheryl Ford Louisiana Tech C 6-3 Jr. Summerfield, La (Summerfield)
Ayana Walker Louisiana Tech F 6-3 Sr. Houston, Texas (Westbury)
Kate Smith Nevada C 6-3 Jr. Reno, Nev. (McQueen)
Cricket Williams San Jose State G 5-7 So. New Orleans, La. (St. Mary’s Academy)
Leela Farr Tulsa F 5-11 Sr. Joplin, Mo. (Joplin)
Second Team all-WAC
Lindsay Logan Fresno State G 5-6 Jr. Sandy, Utah (Alta)
Janka Gabrielova Hawaii G 5-6 Sr. Bratislava, Slovakia (Weatherford CC)
Amber Obaze Louisiana Tech G 5-9 So. Dallas, Texas (Bryan Adams)
Kimya Murray UTEP G 5-6 Jr. Chicago, Ill. (Independence CC)
Carla Morrow Tulsa G/F 6-0 Sr. Missouri City, Texas (Elkins)
Player of the Year: Cheryl Ford, Louisiana Tech
Coach of the Year: Janice Richard, San Jose State
Co-Freshmen of the Year: Erica Smith, Louisiana Tech
Aritta Lane, Fresno State
2001-02 All-Defensive Team
Amber Obaze Louisiana Tech G 5-9 So. Dallas, Texas (Bryan Adams)
Essence Perry Louisiana Tech G 5-7 Sr. Lawton, Okla. (Trinity Valley CC)
Ayana Walker Louisiana Tech F 6-3 Sr. Houston, Texas (Westbury)
Laura Ingham Nevada G 5-4 Jr. Anchorage, Alaska (Ohio State)
Cricket Williams San Jose State G 5-7 So. New Orleans, La. (St. Mary’s Academy)
2001-02 All-Newcomer Team
Aritta Lane Fresno State F 6-0 Fr. Aiea, Hawaii (Aiea)
Erica Smith Louisiana Tech G 5-10 Fr. Wheatley, Ark. (Palestine-Wheatley)
Elisa Inman Rice F 6-2 So. Wadsworth, Ohio (Ohio State)
Kimya Murray UTEP G 5-6 Jr. Chicago, Ill. (Independence CC)
Alyssa Shriver Tulsa C 6-3 Jr. Salina, Kan (Iowa State)