For just the eighth time in program history, the Lenoir-Rhyne women’s basketball team surpassed 20 wins as they currently stand 22-7. With that success, Blaikley Crooks, a Freedom High School grad, and Emily Harman were picked to the All-Conference team with Crooks earning a first team selection and Harman garnering second team honors. This marks the second straight season that LR has placed two players on the all league team.

Crooks earns her first-ever All-Conference nod and becomes the first First Team All-SAC selection since Jazmine Charles in 2014-15. Crooks started all 29 games for LR and led the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field and 85.9 percent from the free throw line. Crooks finished sixth in the conference in field goal percentage and free throw percentage while also coming in fifth in the league in steals with 57. Crooks went off for a career-high 34 points against UVA Wise and scored in double figures in 26 of her 29 games this year.

Harman earns second straight Second Team All-Conference selection and became just the 24th player in program history to top 1,000 career points. She was second for LR in scoring at 14.3 points per game and led the squad with 5.3 rebounds per game and was second with 93 assists. Harman’s 85.3 percent shooting from the free throw line ranked sixth in the SAC and she was ninth in assists and sixth in steals to go with ninth in total points.

Harman, Crooks and the Bears are set to take on Catawba in the SAC Semifinals on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

2022-23 South Atlantic Conference Women’s Basketball All-Conference

First Team
Quin Byrd, Limestone
Blaikley Crooks, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jami Tham, Tusculum
Lyrik Thorne, Catawba
Bryanna Troutman, Wingate
Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman

Second Team
Janiya Downs, Catawba
Emily Harman, Lenoir-Rhyne
Emily Hege, Wingate
Saquita Joyner, Lincoln Memorial
Diamond McDowell, Anderson
Alexa Smiddy, Lincoln Memorial

Third Team
Mya Belton, Tusculum
Hannah Clark, Wingate
Reagan McCray, Limestone
Sara McIntosh, Catawba
Blayre Shultz, Tusculum
Nia Vanzant, UVA Wise

All-Freshman
Emily Hege, Wingate
Tori Rutherford, Carson-Newman
Ashlyn Sheridan, Anderson
Alexa Smiddy, Lincoln Memorial
Breanna Yarber, Emory & Henry

Player of the Year
Lyrik Thorne, Catawba

Freshman of the Year
Emily Hege, Wingate

Defensive Player of the Year
Mya Belton, Tusculum

Coach of the Year
Terence McCutcheon, Catawba

Statistical Champions
Points Per Game – Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman; 21.0
Three-Pointers Per Game – Alexa Smiddy, Lincoln Memorial; 2.81
Rebounds Per Game – Jami Tham, Tusculum; 13.4
Blocked Shots Per Game – Kaitlin Bailey, UVA Wise; 2.00
Field Goal Percentage – Jami Tham, Tusculum; 51.6
Assists Per Game – Caitlin Ross, UVA Wise; 7.6
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Megan Landsiedel, Lenoir-Rhyne; 2.50
Steals Per Game – Lyrik Thorne, Catawba; 2.68
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage – Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman; 43.7
Free Throw Percentage – Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman; 93.0
Team Scoring Offense – Carson-Newman; 74.4
Team Steals Per Game – Catawba; 11.9
Team Field Goal Percentage – Wingate; 45.2
Team FG Percentage Defense – Tusculum; 35.5
Team Assists Per Game – Tusculum; 17.2
Team Rebounds Per Game – Tusuclum; 42.96
Team Blocks Per Game – UVA Wise; 5.4
Team Three-Point FG Percentage – Wingate; 36.8
Team Scoring Defense – Tusculum; 56.0
Team Free Throw Percentage – Lenoir-Rhyne; 77.6
Team Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Tusculum; 1.14