Women's Basketball

2024-25 USA South Women's Basketball Awards Announced

The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2024-25 All-Conference awards for women's basketball. Individually, Brevard's Josie Hester was named Player of the Year while Pfeiffer's Ava Hairston collected Rookie of the Year honors. Continuing with the individual honors, Southern Virginia's Aysia Foster was named Defensive Player of the Year while her coach, Lynette Schroeder, earned Coach of the Year. Additionally, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team, consisting of one member from each competing school who their coach felt displayed the best sportsmanship this season.

All awards are voted on by the women's basketball coach at each institution.

Hester, a senior guard from Huntersville, North Carolina becomes the first Brevard women's basketball student-athlete to be named USA South Player of the Year. Hester led the Conference in scoring during the regular season, averaging 16.7 points per game to go along with 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.7 assists. She also led the League in three-pointers made with 76, which is tied for eighth in all of Division III, and shooting percentage from behind the arch (.447) which is ranked sixth in Division III. Against USA South foes, Hester upped her scoring average to a USA South-best 17.6 points per contest while knocking down an average of 3.6 three-pointers an outing. Hester was named a First Team All-Conference performer for the second consecutive season while also taking home USA South Player of the Week honors twice this winter.

Hairston, a freshman guard from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, becomes the first Pfeiffer women's basketball student-athlete to be named USA South Rookie of the Year. Hairston led all rookies, and was sixth in the USA South, in scoring during the regular season, averaging 11.7 points per game. She also contributed 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game for the Falcons. Against Conference foes, Hairston averaged 10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 1.9 assists per contest. For her efforts this winter, Hairston was named Honorable Mention All-Conference to go along with five USA South Rookie of the Week accolades.

Foster, a junior forward from Knightdale, North Carolina, becomes the second Southern Virginia women's basketball student-athlete to be named USA South Defensive Player of the Year (Katie Garrish, 2021-22). During regular season play, Foster led the Conference with 50 blocked shots, double that of the next-highest individual's total, an average of 2.0 per contest. She also added 5.3 rebounds and 7.9 points per contest. In Conference play, Foster again led the way in rejections with 40 total, good for a 2.5 blocks per game average. For her efforts this season, Foster was named All-Conference Honorable Mention, her second consecutive All-Conference honor.

Schroeder, in her sixth year as Southern Virginia's head coach, earns her second USA South Coach of the Year honor. After being predicted to finish first in the standings in the preseason coaches poll, the Knights did just that claiming a regular season title for the second consecutive season. Southern Virginia posted an undefeated, 16-0, record in Conference play while amassing a 23-2 regular season mark which includes a current program-record 21-game winning streak. Finally, Schroeder's Knights dealt nationally-ranked Christopher Newport its only loss of the regular season, a 69-65 triumph on December 4.
 

Player of the Year Rookie of the Year Defensive Player of the Year Coach of the Year
8764
Josie Hester
Brevard
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Ava Hairston
Pfeiffer
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Aysia Foster
Southern Virginia
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Lynette Schroeder
Southern Virginia

The 2024-25 USA South Women's Basketball All-Conference Team:
 
First Team Second Team Honorable Mention
Alexis Bynum, Pfeiffer
Josie Hester, Brevard
Pamela Mock, Meredith
Nadia Simmons, N.C. Wesleyan
Abigail Snyder, Southern Virginia
Kiley Hicks, Methodist
Ruth Kempler, Southern Virginia
Makenna Parkins, Brevard
Jada Petty-Wilkins, Brevard
Corynthian Williams, N.C. Wesleyan
Aysia Foster, Southern Virginia
Ava Hairston, Pfeiffer
Nicole Hester, Salem
 
 
All-Sportsmanship
Jordan Gresham, Brevard
Taya Simpkins, Greensboro
Jeallen Holland, Meredith
Alyssa Shazer, Methodist
Dorinda Jordan, N.C. Wesleyan
Mara Ochoa Contreras, Pfeiffer
Lily Gorum, Salem
Taylor Hoopes, Southern Virginia
Ja'Naisja Baker, William Peace