Zias' Buzard win LSC South coaching honor

RICHARDSON, Texas — Dan Buzard was named the Lone Star Conference South Coach of the Year for leading the Zias to a surprising season in which they were tied for the division until the final week and more than doubled last year’s win total.

Zia guard Heather Brown of Hereford was named the LSC South Freshman of the Year in postseason awards announced Monday by league officials. Voting was done by league coaches.

Junior post Jamaal Hunnicutt was a first-team selection for the Hounds, who won their second-straight LSC South title.

Angelo State’s Natalja Tsurbakova was named the South Player of the Year. Tsurbakova, a 6-foot-3 junior post from Estonia, led the LSC in scoring and rebounding.

She was joined on the South first team by Abilene Christian senior forward Melanie Carter, West Texas A&M junior post Celeste Stevenson and senior guard Meosha Walker and senior post Jel-ani Armstrong, both of Midwestern State.

The speedy 5-7 Brown averaged 10.1 points and led the Zias with 30 3-pointers.

Junior guard Laci Lee of Portales was a second-team selection while Brown and two other Zias earned honorable mention.

Hunnicutt, a 6-4 junior from Amarillo, was the leading scorer (12.9) and rebounder (8.9) for the Hounds.

Texas A&M-Kingsville senior guard William Brown IV, who scored 46 points in a win at Eastern, was named Player of the Year and was joined on the first team by junior teammate forward Robert Hamilton.

Senior guards Rod Prater of West Texas and Marquette Wilkins of Midwestern rounded out the first team.

Pete Peterson of Kingsville was named Coach of the Year.

Eastern senior forward Garland Coleman and junior post Travazz Buckley were second-team picks.

All-LSC South

Men

First team

William Brown, Sr., G, Texas A&M-Kingsville

Jamaal Hunnicutt, Jr., P, Eastern New Mexico

Marquette Wilkins, Sr., G, Midwestern State

Rod Prater, Sr., G, West Texas A&M

Robert Hamilton, Jr., F, Texas A&M-Kingsville

Second teamHonorable mention

Abilene Christian, David Baxter, Jr., G; Angelo State, Rashawn Childs, So., G; Midwestern State, Josh Drumgole, Sr., P; Texas A&M-Commerce, Thaddeus Daggett, Sr., F, Clay Lewkoswki, Sr., F; West Texas A&M, Jason Campbell, Sr., F; Carl Lamb, Jr., G.

Player of the Year — Brown, Texas A&M-Kingsville

Defensive Player of the year — Wilkins, Midwestern State

Freshman of the Year — Wayne Lovings, Texas A&M-Kingsville

Newcomer of the Year — Hamilton, Texas A&M-Kingsville

Coach of the Year — Pete Peterson, Texas A&M-Kingsville

Women

First team

Natalja Tsurbakova, Jr., P, Angelo State

Melanie Carter, Sr., F, Abilene Christian

Meosha Walker, Sr., G, Midwestern State

Celeste Stevenson, Jr., P, West Texas A&M

Jel-ani Armstrong, Sr., P, Midwestern State

Second team

Laci Lee, Jr., G, Eastern New Mexico

Tamikki Williams, Sr., F, Texas A&M-Commerce

Hazel Woods, Jr., G, Texas A&M-Commerce

Sharon Ballenger, Jr., G, Angelo State

Lynsie Blau, Sr., P, Abilene Christian

Honorable mention

Angelo State, Kelli Goble, Sr., G; Eastern New Mexico, Elizabeth Richards, So. , F, Jereena Bosket, Sr., P, Heather Brown, Fr., G; Texas A&M-Kingsville, Angela Trotter, Fr., F; Texas Woman’s, Julie Prescher, Sr., F; West Texas A&M, Vasha Adams, Jr., P; Carlee Howard, Sr., G.

Player of the Year — Tsurbakova, Angelo State

Defensive Player of the year — Tsurbakova, Angelo State

Freshman of the Year — Brown, Eastern New Mexico

Newcomer of the Year — Woods, Texas A&M-Commerce

Coach of the Year — Dan Buzard, Eastern New Mexico