TENNERTON – Buckhannon-Upshur senior guard Shelby McDaniels and head coach Rob Kittle were awarded the top honors from the Big 10 Conference as they released their all-conference teams today.
McDaniels was selected by the Big 10 Conference as Player of the Year while Kittle was named the Big 10 Coach of the Year.
McDaniels led the Lady Bucs in scoring, averaging 16 points a game. She also led the team in assists with 4.8 per game and in steals with 4.1 per contest. She also contributed 5.6 rebounds per game.
McDaniels received the honor over Fairmont Senior’s Marley Washenitz, who was recently given the Mary Ostrowski Award for the top high school girls basketball player in the state of West Virginia.
“I’ve run out of things to say about Shelby,” stated Kittle. “She finished her career as the second all-time leading scorer in Buckhannon-Upshur history. She is just a tremendous leader and plays with such passion. I am just so happy for her getting the Player of the Year honors. I know she is going to be successful in whatever she does. She is just such a special player but more importantly, she is just a great person!”
Kittle was named the Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Bucs to a 19-6 record and an 11-2 mark in the Big 10. The Lady Bucs advanced to the Class AAAA Region I final before falling to Wheeling Park.
Two other Lady Bucs earned all-conference honors as junior forward Kendal Currence was named to the First Team and sophomore forward Gabby Parke was named to the Second Team.
Currence was second on the team in scoring and rebounding averaging 10 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per contest.
Parke led the Lady Bucs in rebounding with 6.8 per game and averaged 8.2 points per contest.
“I am so happy for Kendal getting First Team honors,” remarked Kittle. “She has really worked hard to get where she is and the sky is the limit for her. She can be an absolute dominant player and hopefully this will push her to be even more dominant next year. For the second year in row Gabby earned Second Team honors. I thought she really grew as a player this year wasn’t just a jump shooter. She got stronger and was able to put the ball on the floor and attack off the dribble. I just know this will push her and Kendal harder this off season to try to get us back to Charleston.”
Fairmont Senior and North Marion, who both made the Class AAA state tournament, led the conference in First Team selections as Fairmont Senior landed Washenitz and Meredith Maier on it while North Marion placed Kaitlyn Carson and Olivia Toland on the First Team.
The conference honors are voted on by the league’s 13 head coaches.
BIG 10 ALL-CONFERENCE GIRLS BASKETBALL
FIRST TEAM
Kendal Currence – Buckhannon-Upshur
Gabby Reep – Bridgeport
Kenly Rogers – East Fairmont
Anna Belan – Elkins
Meredith Maier – Fairmont Senior
Marley Washenitz – Fairmont Senior
Ashlen Riley – Lincoln
Kaitlyn Carson – North Marion
Olivia Toland – North Marion
Braylyn Sparks – Philip Barbour
Carsynn Sines – Preston
Avery Childers – Robert C. Byrd
SECOND TEAM
Gabby Parke – Buckhannon-Upshur
Gracelin Corley – Elkins
Emily Starn – Fairmont Senior
Alyssa Satterfield – Grafton
Emma Pinkney – Lewis County
Emma Elliot – Liberty
Hailey Haines – Liberty
Megan Tucker – Lincoln
Emma Freels – North Marion
Averi Carpenter – Philip Barbour
Arrington Sparks – Philp Barbour
Martina Howe – Robert C. Byrd
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Shelby McDaniels (Buckhannon-Upshur)
COACH OF THE YEAR – Rob Kittle (Buckhannon-Upshur)
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS – Fairmont Senior