BATON ROUGE – Danielle Ballard and Raigyne Moncrief garnered Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) All-Louisiana First-Team and Second-Team selections as announced Saturday. The LSWA awards are voted upon by the state’s media representatives and school’s media relations directors.
Ballard is the ninth player in program history to come away with the state’s top player award. She also pushed LSU’s run to 11 straight seasons with the LSWA Player of the Year. Ballard has picked up LSWA All-Louisiana honors during each of her first three seasons with the Lady Tigers.
For Moncrief, she captured LSWA All-Louisiana accolades for the second consecutive season after being named the state’s freshman of the year last season.
Ballard, a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American Honorable Mention pick, filled the box score with a balanced 14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.9 assists per game over her 17 appearances. She was the only SEC player to rank among the league’s Top 10 in four of the four major statistical categories in conference play. The 3.1 steals would have ranked inside the nation’s Top 10 had she qualified for the NCAA rankings. Ballard joined LSU’s 500 rebounds club and heads into her senior campaign 23 points away from reaching 1,000 for her career.
Moncrief started 30 of LSU’s 31 games where she piled up 11.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. She amassed double figures a team-leading 22 times highlighted by 13 of her last 15 efforts. Moncrief racked up a season’s best 21 points against Missouri and added her fifth double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds versus No. 25 USF during the NCAA Tournament First Round. Her 6.7 rebounds were second among SEC guards
LSU has collected four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances highlighted by a pair of NCAA Sweet 16 trips under head coach Nikki Caldwell. The Lady Tigers also have secured a trio of 20-plus win seasons and have reached at least 10 SEC victories three times under Caldwell.
For all of the latest news and information on Lady Tiger basketball, visit www.LSUsports.net.womensbasketball. Fans also can follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/LSUwbkb, @LSUwbkb and @NikkiCaldwell on Twitter, @LSUwbkb and @LSUNikkiCaldwell on Instagram.
2015 LSWA All-Louisiana Women’s Basketball Awards
LSWA All-Louisiana First Team
Name, School, Position
Danielle Ballard, LSU, G
Allison Baggett, McNeese State, G
Whitney Frazier, Louisiana Tech, F
Kourtney Pennywell, LSU-Shreveport, F
Janelle Perez, Northwestern State, G
LSWA All-Louisiana Second Team
Name, School, Position
Sharnice Brooks, Louisiana-Monroe, C
Kendra Coleman, Southern, G
Raigyne Moncrief, LSU, G
Jenny Nash, Nicholls State, G
Janeicia Neely, Loyola, G
LSWA All-Louisiana Third Team
Name, School, Position
Randi Brown, New Orleans, G
Whitney Gathright, Xavier, G
Kolby Morgan, Tulane, G
Kelia Shelton, Louisiana Tech, G
Keke Veal, Louisiana-Lafayette, G
LSWA All-Louisiana Honorable Mention
Danielle Blagg, Tulane, G
Jaylyn Gordon, Louisiana-Lafayette, G
Jalyn Johnson, McNeese State, G
Kia Wilridge, Louisiana-Lafayette, G
LSWA All-Louisiana Specialty Awards
LSWA Player of the Year: Danielle Ballard, LSU
LSWA Freshman of the Year: Kolby Morgan, Tulane
LSWA Newcomer of the Year: Brandi Wingate, Louisiana Tech
LSWA Coach of the Year: DoBee Plaisance, Nicholls State