COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Mountain West Conference announced the2001-02 all-conference team as selected by head coaches. UNLV seniorAll-American Linda Frhlich earned MWC Player of the Year for the thirdstraight season, while Colorado State head coach Tom Collen was named Coachof the Year.
New Mexico freshman Mandi Moore garnered Newcomer of the Year accolades,marking the second time in three years the Lobos have produced the awardwinner (Jordan Adams, 1999-2000). Moore was also named third team all-MWC. Colorado State senior Angie Gorton wasDefensive Player of the Year.
UNM junior center Jordan Adams, who was named second team all-league while freshman Lindsey Arndt and junior Chelsea Grear received honorable mention all-conference recognition.
Eight seniors, six juniors and a freshman made up this year’sall-conference team. BYU led the way with four all-conference selections.Colorado State, New Mexico, UNLV, San Diego State and Utah each had twostudent-athletes named all-conference and Wyoming had one honoree. AirForce, New Mexico and Wyoming each had two honorable mention selections,while UNLV and Utah had one named honorable mention.
Frhlich, a three-time first-team selection, was joined by teammateConstance Jinks, Gorton, BYU junior Erin Thorn and Utah senior LaurenBeckman on the first-team. Adams headlined the second-team for the second straight year, along with juniors JenniferLeitner of BYU, Carrie Bacon of Wyoming, Ashley Augspurger of ColoradoState and senior Lindsay Herbert of Utah. Third-team honors went to BYUseniors Stacy Jensen and Melanie Pearson, San Diego State seniors ClaireSwinbank and Atim Otii and Moore.
Collen was named Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year for the firsttime in his career after leading the Rams to their third league title inthe last five years. In his tenure with Colorado State, Collen has a 128-31record.
First Team All-Mountain West Conference*Linda Frhlich, UNLV, Sr., 6-2, F#Angie Gorton, Colorado State, Sr., 6-0, F*Erin Thorn, BYU, Jr., 5-10, GConstance Jinks, UNLV, Jr., 5-6, G*Lauren Beckman, Utah, Sr., 6-2, F/C
Second Team All-Mountain West ConferenceJennifer Leitner, BYU, Jr., 6-1, F#Jordan Adams, New Mexico, Jr., 6-3, CLindsay Herbert, Utah, Sr., 5-11, G/F+Carrie Bacon, Wyoming, Jr., 6-0, F*Ashley Augspurger, Colorado State, 6-1, F
Third Team All-Mountain West Conference#Stacy Jensen, BYU, Sr., 5-6, GMelanie Pearson, BYU, Sr., 6-1, G/FMandi Moore, New Mexico, Fr., 5-8, GClaire Swinbank, San Diego State, Sr., 5-8, GAtim Otii, San Diego, State, Sr., 6-0, F
Honorable Mention All-Mountain West ConferenceLatoya Howell, Air Force, Fr., 5-4, GAmoy Jackson, Air Force, So., 5-10, GLindsey Arndt, New Mexico, Fr., 6-1, FChelsea Grear, New Mexico, Jr., 5-10, F/GPetra Glser, UNLV, So., 6-6, CErin Gibbons, Utah, Sr., 5-9, GDarci Arsene, Wyoming, Jr., 6-1, FCarly Stucky, Wyoming, So., 5-10, G
*notes first team selection 2000-01#notes second team selection 2000-01notes third team selection 2000-01+notes first team selection 1999-2000
Player of the Year: Linda Frhlich, UNLV Defensive Player of the Year: Angie Gorton, CSUNewcomer of the Year: Mandi Moore, UNMCoach of the Year: Tom Collen, CSU
Linda Frhlich – Player of the Year, First Team All-MWCFrhlich has led the conference in scoring and rebounding each of the pastthree seasons and became the first UNLV women’s basketball player to reach2,000 points (2,300 to date) and 1,000 rebounds (1,082 to date) in acareer. She is averaging a double-double this season with 21.6 points and10.4 rebounds per game.
Angie Gorton – Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-MWCGorton has earned a reputation as one of the hardest workers and bestdefenders in the MWC. She ranked in the league’s top 10 for scoring (13.5ppg – 7th), rebounding (5.9 rpg – 10th), field goal percentage (52.0 -3rd), free throw percentage (83.5 – 4th) and blocked shots (24 – 4th) thisseason.
Mandi Moore – Newcomer of the Year, Third Team All-MWCMoore led the conference in assists with 133 (4.75 per game) and was thesecond leading scorer (9.8 ppg) and rebounder (4.5 rpg) among all MWCfreshmen this season. A starter in all 28 games, she was also second in theMWC for assist/turnover ration (1.79 ), third in three-point shooting (41.9percent) and ninth in steals (1.71 per game).
Erin Thorn – First Team All-MWCThorn earned first team honors for the second straight year after leadingthe league in three pointers made this season (3.15 per game). She alsoranks second in league scoring at 17.0 points per contest.
Constance Jinks – First Team All-MWCJinks leaped from third-team performer last season to first team honorsthis season after ranking in the league’s top 10 for scoring (17.0 ppg -3rd), free throw percentage (83.6 – 3rd) and assists (4.0 apg – 5th).
Lauren Beckman – First Team All-MWCA strong post presence for the Utes, Beckman earned first team All-MWChonors two straight years and was a second team selection as a sophomore.She ranked second in the MWC for blocked shots (2.34 bpg) and field goalpercentage (53.2), third in rebounding (8.1 rpg) and eighth in scoring(13.4 ppg). i