By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After a banner year on the court, the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team picked up seven All-MIAA honors when they were released on Tuesday (March 5) by the league office. Senior forward Tatyana Legette was named the 2018-19 MIAA Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-MIAA first team roster, while head coach Tony Hobson earned his third MIAA Coach of the Year honor.
Legette was one of five Tiger student-athletes to earn a spot on an All-MIAA team, joined by Kacey Kennett on the second team, Lanie Page on the third team and honorable mention accolades for Carly Heim and Belle Barbieri.
The Tigers picked up five all-conference nods for the second year in a row and the fifth time in program history. It is the first time the Tigers have placed three players on the first-through-third teams of an all-conference list since 1993-94.
Tony Hobson guided the Tigers to a 27-1 overall record in 2018-19, the fewest losses in a regular season in program history. Fort Hays State finished the difficult MIAA slate 18-1, earning 18 conference wins for the third time in the last five years. An MIAA team has reached 18 league victories just eight times since the Tigers joined the MIAA in 2006-07, with no other school reaching the milestone more than once. Hobson led the Tigers to their eighth-straight 20-win season, extending the longest such streak in program history. Before this stretch began in 2011-12, the team reached the 20 win plateau eight times in its first 42 years of existence. Hobson became the all-time winningest coach in Fort Hays State earlier this season when he earned his 218th victory as a Tiger. He also earned MIAA Coach of the Year honors in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Tatyana Legette has been a constant force for the Tigers all season, leading the team in points, rebounds and assists. She scored in double figures 21 times in the regular season, including three games of 20 or more points. The forward averaged 13.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game over the 28 contests to date, making her the lone MIAA player to rank in the top 11 in all three categories. She was also among the league’s best on the defensive end, ranking sixth in the league with 1.6 blocks per game and 14th with 1.4 steals each night. Legette brought her A-game night in and night out when it came to league play, boosting her averages to 15.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists against MIAA opponents. It is the third time Legette has earned All-MIAA status after picking up second team honors as a junior and an honorable mention selection following her sophomore campaign.
This is the sixth All-MIAA first team honor for the Tigers, and the second time a Tiger has been named MIAA Player of the Year (Lehman, 2014-15).
Kacey Kennett was named to the second team after earning honorable mention status a year ago. The junior averaged 11.2 points and 4.5 assists per night, ranking third on the team in both categories. Kennett knocked down 38 three-pointers on the year, making at least one long-range attempt in all but six contests. The Olathe, Kan. native hit more than 35 percent from behind the arc, third best on the team. She added 39 steals, swiping 1.4 steals every outing.
Lanie Page picked up All-MIAA honors for the second year in a row, earning a spot on the third team after being named honorable mention as a sophomore. The Wamego, Kan. native tallied 333 points in the regular season, ranking second on the team with an average of 11.9 points per outing. Page scored 20 or more points a team-best five times, including a career-high 23 points against Rockhurst. She poured in a team-high 47 three-pointers, making at least one shot from behind the arc in all but five contests. Page ranked second with a free throw percentage of 81.4 percent. In addition to adding 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists every game, the junior was a leader on the defensive end. She paced the team with 45 steals and 45 blocks on the year, ranking in the top 10 in the conference in both category.
Carly Heim picked up honorable mention for the third year in a row. The senior served as the team’s floor general until an untimely injury in early February. She averaged a team-high 1.7 steals in her 20 appearances, ranking seventh in the MIAA. Heim added 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per outing. The Hoxie, Kan. native dished out multiple assists in all but five her appearances, including nine games with three or more dimes.
Belle Barbieri picked up her first All-MIAA award after taking a major step forward in her junior season. After averaging just over three points per game in her first two seasons, the Abilene, Kan. native quickly became a double-double threat as a junior. Barbieri ranked third on the team with an average of 10.4 points per contest while ranking second with 6.5 rebounds each game. The forward grabbed 73 offensive rebounds on the year, fourth most in the conference. Barbieri posted 17 double-digit games, third most on the team, while posting the first four double-doubles of her career.
Legette and Heim become the fifth and sixth Tigers to earn a trio of All-MIAA honors, joining Kate Lehman, Jill Faxon, Beth Bohuslavsky and Katelyn Edwards.
2018-19 MIAA Women’s Basketball Postseason Awards
Player of the Year – Tatyana Legette – Fort Hays State, Senior
Defensive Player of the Year – Jessica Wayne – Emporia State, Junior
Freshman of the Year – Kaylee DaMitz – Pittsburg State
Coach of the Year – Tony Hobson – Fort Hays State
All-MIAA First Team
Paige Redmond – Central Missouri, Senior
Morgan Fleming – Central Missouri, Junior
Tyra Jones – Emporia State, Senior
Tatyana Legette – Fort Hays State, Senior
Kallie Bildner – Lindenwood, Junior
Katrina Roenfeldt – Missouri Western, Junior
Reflects Tie In Voting
All-MIAA Second Team
Jessica Wayne – Emporia State, Junior
Kacey Kennett – Fort Hays State, Junior
Chelsey Henry – Missouri Southern, Senior
Shelby Lopez – Pittsburg State, Senior
Reagan Phelan – Washburn, Junior
All-MIAA Third Team
Megan Skaggs – Central Missouri, Junior
Micayla Haynes – Central Oklahoma, Junior
Lanie Page – Fort Hays State, Junior
Maya Williams – Pittsburg State, Sophomore
Caylee Richardson – Southwest Baptist, Senior
All-Defensive Team
Megan Skaggs – Central Missouri, Junior
Madison Lee – Central Oklahoma, Senior
Jessica Wayne – Emporia State, Junior
Melia Richardson – Missouri Western, Senior
Joi Bertrand – Northeastern State, Senior
Honorable Mention All-MIAA
Central Missouri: Sydney Crockett – Senior
Central Oklahoma: Ireon Smith – Junior
Emporia State: Addie Lackey – Senior, Emily Miller – Senior, Tiana Moala – Senior
Fort Hays State: Carly Heim – Senior, Belle Barbieri – Junior
Lincoln: Zhanesha Dickerson – Senior
Lindenwood: Lexie Moe – Senior, Charisse Williams – Senior
Missouri Southern: Chasidee Owens – Junior
Missouri Western: Brittany Atkins – Senior, Melia Richardson – Senior
Nebraska Kearney: Brooke Carlson – Freshman, Maegan Holt – Freshman, Kelsey Sanger – Sophomore
Northeastern State: Cailyn Long – Senior, Cenia Hayes – Sophomore
Pittsburg State: Athena Alvarado – Junior, Kaylee DaMitz – Freshman
Southwest Baptist: Laura Vierkant – Junior
Washburn: Hunter Bentley – Sophomore, Taylor Blue – Senior, Alexis McAfee – Junior