HAMMOND — Much like they dominated the competition this season, the LSU Lady Tigers dominated the 2004-05 Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana Women’s Basketball Team, which was announced on Friday.
LSU’s Seimone Augustus added to her rapidly expanding trophy collection by taking home state Player of the Year honors. First-year Lady Tiger head coach Pokey Chatman was named Coach of the Year, while LSU center Sylvia Fowles was tabbed as Freshman of the Year. Grambling guard Juleen Smith prevented a purple and gold sweep by winning Newcomer of the Year honors.
Augustus, a Baton Rouge native and Capitol High product, took home the state’s top player honors for the second straight season, after being named Freshman of the Year by the LSWA in 2003. The junior guard took the nation by storm this season, winning the Wade Trophy and the Naismith Award, as well as being tabbed the nation’s top player by the Associated Press and the United States Basketball Writers Association.
A consensus first-team All-American and the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, Augustus averaged 20.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, while shooting better than 54 percent from the field and 87 percent from the free throw line. She scored in double figures in each of LSU’s 36 games.
Augustus’ teammate, Fowles, a native of Miami, was tabbed as the conference’s Freshman of the Year after serving as a force off the LSU bench. The 6-5 center finished the season with per game averages of 11.8 points and 9.0 rebounds, while shooting nearly 58 percent from the field. The SEC 6th Woman of the Year finished among the conference leaders in rebounds, blocked shots and field goal percentage.
Both Augustus and Fowles benefited from the guidance of Chatman, who in her first year at the helm of the program guided the Lady Tigers to a 33-3 record and their second consecutive Final Four appearance. For her efforts, Chatman received the Naismith Coach of the Year award and received national coaching honors from the USWBA and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
Grambling’s Smith, who hails from Inglewood, Calif., made a big splash in her first season with the Lady Tigers, after transferring from Oregon State. Smith, the SWAC Newcomer of the Year and second-team all-conference selection, averaged 17.6 points and 2.3 steals per contest.
Augustus and Fowles were joined on the first team by senior teammate Temeka Johnson, Louisiana Tech guard Tasha Crain and Southern guard Rolanda Monroe. Crain, the WAC Player of the Year, along with Johnson and Augustus, was a unanimous selection to the team. Monroe adds this honor to her SWAC Player of the Year and SWAC Tournament MVP honors she has received this season.
The nation’s third leading rebounder – Nakeya Downing of Southeastern Louisiana – leads the way on the second team. Downing is joined by Louisiana-Lafayette center Anna Petrakova, Northwestern State’s Diamond Cosby, Tulane’s Lakethia Hampton and Stacey Northern of SUNO.
The state’s Newcomer of the Year, Smith, highlights the third-team selections. Also receiving third-team notice was Nina Randle, who led Louisiana-Monroe to the Southland Conference regular-season championship. Louisiana Tech’s Lakiste Barkus, LSU’s Scholanda Hoston and Xavier’s Jareen Cleaves rounded out the third team selections.
Twelve players received enough votes to earn honorable mention status. Counting honorable mention honorees, Northwestern State and LSU were tied for the state lead with four players honored. Louisiana Tech, Southeastern Louisiana, Louisiana-Lafayette, Tulane and Grambling each had two honorees. Nine other state institutions had one representative.
The LSWA All-Louisiana Team was selected by a panel of state sports information directors and media representatives.
2004-05 LSWA All- Louisiana Women’s Basketball Team
First Team
Name, School, Class, Position, Hometown
Seimone Augustus, LSU, Junior, Guard, Baton Rouge, La.
Temeka Johnson, LSU, Senior, Guard, New Orleans, La.
Tasha Crain, Louisiana Tech, Junior, Guard, Kingsland, Ark.
Sylvia Fowles, LSU, Freshman, Center, Miami, Fla.
Rolanda Monroe, Southern, Junior, Guard, Arcadia, La.
Second Team
Nakeya Downing, Southeastern Louisiana, Senior, Forward, Amite, La.
Anna Petrakova, Louisiana-Lafayette, Senior, Center, Moscow, Russia
Diamond Cosby, Northwestern State, Senior, Guard, Shreveport, La.
Lakethia Hampton, Tulane, Senior, Forward, New Orleans, La.
Stacey Northern, SUNO, Senior, Forward, Baton Rouge, La.
Third Team
Juleen Smith, Grambling, Guard, Junior, Inglewood, Calif.
Nina Randle, Louisiana-Monroe, Senior, Forward, Covington, La.
Lakiste Barkus, Louisiana Tech, Senior, Guard, Long Beach, Calif.
Scholanda Hoston, LSU, Junior, Forward, Miami, Fla.
Jarryn Cleaves, Xavier, Senior, Guard, Memphis, Tenn.
Honorable Mention
Joelle Bordelon, Loyola; Regina Spivey, McNeese State; Amanda Bennett, Northwestern State; Dacia McGowan; Lacey Cormier; Ashley Blanche, Louisiana-Lafayette; Chassidy Jones, Northwestern State; Laura Kizyte, Centenary; D’Aundra Henry, Tulane; Ashley Sparkman, Northwestern State; Chelsea Calcaterra, Louisiana College; Katherine Plummer, Nicholls State
Player of the Year
Seimone Augustus, LSU
Freshman of the Year
Sylvia Fowles, LSU
Newcomer of the Year
Juleen Smith, Grambling
Coach of the Year
Pokey Chatman, LSU