MACON, GA.-After leading Campbell in scoring and ranking second
among Atlantic Sun freshmen in points per game, Tonisha Baker has
been named to the league's all-freshman team.
"Tonisha is a player that has really made a difference in our
program," said CU head coach Wanda Watkins. "She brings a
wealth of speed and athleticism and I am really proud of her. She's
continued to improve every day since we got her, and what's great
is that her best basketball is still ahead of her."
Baker, a guard from High Point, N.C., is averaging 9.1 points per
game for the Lady Camels, and ranks third in the A-Sun in field
goal percentage at .484 percent. The clip is also the best among
A-Sun freshmen and all guards. Her 47 steals, 58 assists, 12 blocks
and 25.2 minutes per game are second on the team. Baker is the only
Lady Camel to start all 29 games this season.
"She really was our most consistent player throughout the season,
leading us in scoring," said Watkins. "With Tonisha, we have so
many more options; with her, our look has changed. With Tonisha and
the rest of our freshman class, our future is very bright."
In her first season in Buies Creek, Baker has scored in double
figures 12 times, leading the team in scoring on six occasions.
Over the freshman's first 10 A-Sun games, Baker averaged 10.7
points per game, a best among all league rookies at the time.
Against Coastal Carolina and Jacksonville, Baker set season-highs
of 17 points, while against USC Upstate and Stetson, the freshman
pulled down a personal best seven rebounds.
Baker is the eighth Lady Camel to garner all-rookie honors, and the
first since Letitia Dickson in 2005. Lady
Camels have made A-Sun postseason teams in 14 of the last 16 years,
with the only exceptions being 2004 and 2009.
This season, Baker and the Lady Camels amassed the program's most
overall wins since 2001 (22), and A-Sun wins since 2006 (10), while
piloting a team that tallied 70 or more points 11 times, and 80
points on four occasions. Those marks are program single-season
highs since Campbell hit 70 points 15 times during the 2001 season
and 80 points eight times that same year.
Earning its highest Atlantic Sun Tournament seed since 2001, and
its fourth-highest seed ever with the league, No. 3 Campbell will
take on No. 6 Jacksonville on Thursday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m. inside
Mercer's University Center in Macon, Ga.
"Tonisha is a difference maker, and can be a program changer, and
on top of all that, she is a delightful young lady," added Watkins.
"With all the ability that she has, she remains humble and is a joy
to coach. I'm excited for Tonisha, and glad she is a Camel. I look
forward to watching her grow throughout her career."
The Lady Camels, at 14-15 and 9-11 in A-Sun play, finished the
season in a tie with Belmont (14-14, 9-11 A-Sun), but solidified
the No. 3 position after the Bruins dropped a 57-56 contest to
Kennesaw State (11-18, 8-12 A-Sun) on Saturday. Belmont fell to the
No. 4 seed, while Kennesaw State earned a No. 5 seed with the
win.
East Tennessee State locked up the No. 1 seed with an 18-2 A-Sun
record, going 20-8 overall. Mercer (14-15, 11-9 A-Sun), who the
Lady Camels battled with for positioning over the final weeks of
the regular season, finished No. 2. No. 7 North Florida (10-19,
7-13 A-Sun) and No. 8 Stetson (6-23, 6-14 A-Sun) round out the
tourney.
The 2010 General Shale Brick A-Sun Basketball Tournament will begin
for the women at noon on Wednesday with ETSU facing Stetson. Mercer
and UNF will follow at 6:30 p.m.
2010
Atlantic Sun All-Conference Teams
Player of
the Year
Siarre
Evans, ETSU
First
Team
* TaRonda
Wiles, ETSU
* Chelsea
McMillan, USC Upstate
* Siarre
Evans, ETSU
Chelsea
Lyles, FGCU
Courtney
Ford, Mercer
*
Unanimous Choice
Second
Team
Haley
Nelson, Belmont
Adrianne
McNally, FGCU
Shannon
Murphy, FGCU
LaToya
Jackson, Mercer
Brittany
Kirkland, UNF
Freshman
of the Year
Tee'Ara
Copney, USC Upstate
All-Freshman
Team
* Tee'Ara
Copney, USC Upstate
Tonisha Baker,
Campbell
Drameka
Griggs, Jacksonville
Brandi
Jones, Kennesaw State
Sametria
Gideon, Kennesaw State
Jadhken
Kerr, UNF
*
Unanimous Choice
Defensive
Player of the Year
Courtney
Ford, Mercer
Coach of
the Year
Tammy
George, USC Upstate
