World Exposure Report NJCAA Women's Basketball Award Winners have been announced

By World Exposure Report News Service, 04/05/23, 5:45PM CDT

JUNIOR COLLEGE DIVISION 1 Head COACH OF THE YEAR
James Frey, South Georgia Tech

Coach James Frey is in his 11 th year as Head Coach of the South Georgia Technical College Lady Jets. In those 11 years he has amassed 304 wins to only 60 losses. In the current season, under Coach Frey’s direction, the Lady Jets currently have a 31-1 record, losing only the very first game of the season. The team has been at the #1 ranking in the NJCAA Women’s DI poll for the last 5 consecutive weeks and will be returning to the NJCAA Tournament for the 9th time in Coach Frey’s 11 year tenure.

Junior College Division 1 ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
Abby Fawcett, Butler CC

Butler Women’s Basketball Assistant Coach Abby Fawcett has been an integral part of the Grizzlies success both this season and in past seasons. Fawcett, the top assistant to head coach Mike Helmer, has helped turn the Grizzlies into a true force in the Jayhawk Conference and has helped raise the program to one of national prominence. Since adding Fawcett to the coaching
staff in 2011, the Grizzlies have not posted a losing record in the 11 seasons since her hiring.

Over those 11 seasons, Fawcett has helped guide the Grizzlies to four national tournament appearances, including four Jayhawk Conference Regular Season Titles, and two Region VI Championships. Fawcett has also been integral in recruiting for the Grizzlies, helping pull three NJCAA All-Americans to Butler in her time with the Grizzlies. This season, Fawcett has been a
big part of the Grizzlies success, helping guide the Grizzlies to a 23-6 record so far this season and an 18-6 record in a stiff Jayhawk Conference.

JUNIOR COLLEGE DIVISION 1 Sophomore OF THE YEAR
Sakyia White, Jones College

White averaged 18.3 points and 13.3 rebounds, shooting 55 percent from the floor and finishing with a league-best 24 double-doubles.

JUNIOR COLLEGE DIVISION 1 Freshman OF THE YEAR
Waiata Jennings, Collin College

She averaged 16.5ppg while shooting 48%fg. She is also averaging 6rpg, 2.4ast, and 3.1 steals.

JUNIOR COLLEGE DIVISION 2 Head COACH OF THE YEAR
Jason Nichols, Morton College

Jason Nichols has guided Morton College to its first No. 1 ranking in school history. The Panthers, ranked in the NJCAA Division II top 20 for 41 consecutive weeks, are a school-best 31-0. Morton College was the runner-up at last year’s tournament, which marked the Panthers’ first appearance in a national championship game in school history. His three-year record at Morton College is 78-5 with three Region IV and two Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championships.

JUNIOR COLLEGE DIVISION 2 ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
Jim Rosborough, Pima

His dedication to the sport spans over 50 years, with most of those being an assistant. Both as a men’s assistant and most recently as a women’s assistant at Pima Community College. In his 9 year tenure at Pima Community College, he has been instrumental in the Aztecs 5 trips to the NJCAA Dll National Tournament during that time. While just 78 years young, he remains a student of the game and connected to todays athletes.

JUNIOR COLLEGE DIVISION 2 Sophomore OF THE YEAR
Mia Simpson, Morton College

A 5-8 sophomore guard from Waukegan, has produced 23 double-doubles this season at Morton College. She has led the nation in field-goal percentage the past two years, shooting 64.2 percent (181 of 282) as a freshman and 73.9 percent (246 of 333) as a sophomore in helping thePanthers to a 61-3 mark with win streaks of 26 and 31 games.

The MVP of the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference and the Region IV Tournament is averaging 18.0 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Simpson put up 38 points and 11 rebounds in Morton College’s 96- 68 Region IV title game win over Rock Valley. She also is top 10 nationally in steals (128 – 2nd), rebounds (352 – 7th ) and points scored (559 – 9th ).

JUNIOR COLLEGE DIVISION 2 Freshman OF THE YEAR
Senali Moss, Cape Fear

Team USA Prepares For Another Dominant Olympic Run; Competition For Gold Becomes Tougher

By Brenden Potts 07/26/2024, 3:30pm CDT

Many things in sports and life are often uncertain. However, in the United States of America, there seem to be three assurances. Those are death, taxes, and the Women’s Olympic team winning a gold medal. As the squad forms with some exhibition games under their belt, they have every reason to believe their path towards another gold medal won’t be disrupted. However, the competition from around the world has improved to at least give the U.S. a run for their medal.

The U.S. has always dominated the competition over the past Olympics mainly due to their consistent star power. The roster consists of big names from the WNBA, including New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson, and Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi. Stewart was the MVP for Team USA in the past two Olympics, and considering she hasn’t slowed down in the WNBA, her success should continue. Taurasi has already made history after winning her fifth gold medal in 2021. No basketball player, men's or women’s, has won more than four except her and Sue Bird. Taurasi will likely pass her former Olympic teammate in what will be her last run. The team also consists of stars in the league who are making their Olympics debut, like the Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu, the Mercury’s Kahleah Copper, and the Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas. Although it will be their first Olympics and they likely watched the past runs by Team USA, these new players have proven on their respective teams that they belong with the best in the world.

Many things make the U.S. team one of the greatest units ever assembled every four years. In 2024, this squad is built off their depth off the bench. Anyone of the players who comes off the bench has a great case to start, and that makes the coaching staff’s job that much harder. The U.S. is led by Head Coach Cheryl Reeve, who also coaches the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. Her approach to every matchup in group play could change based on which group of five players works together best, or who they match up against in a game. Team USA will likely dominate the 2024 Olympics, but their competition has improved, helping the game grow globally.

In the Olympics, women’s basketball is often the U.S.’s competition to lose. However, the other countries who are trying to dethrone them have improved every Olympics. With multiple teams having their share of WNBA players to represent them, the United States’ path toward the gold might not be a cakewalk. The improved teams around the world not only grow the game but also make it tougher as well. Despite other countries' improvements, the U.S. team is focused on its path, especially 2021 Olympics MVP Stewart. “The competition has gotten better and there’s a lot of parody amongst teams around the world that everybody wants to beat us. We are focusing on ourselves while also knowing we don’t take any opponent lightly and it’s going to be a tough road ahead.” Teams like Australia, France, and China may indeed medal and compete for gold, but the U.S. knows how to win the women's basketball Olympics.

The U.S. starts group play on Monday, July 29th at noon PST against Japan.