Roster | Schedule | News | Archives | Home

March 10, 2009

CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M senior guard Emily Brister missed most of the last half of the season after a severe injury to her right knee, but that didn’t diminish the impact she had in the games in which she did play for the Lady Buffs.

Her play in the Lady Buffs’ first 23 games of the season was enough to make her the 2008-09 NCAA Division II South Central Region Player of the Year for the third straight season and a four-time first team all-region performer. The senior from Amarillo, Texas, garnered the most first-place votes of any player in the region and easily outdistanced the runner-up for the most votes.

Brister’s name appeared on all 18 ballots that were cast throughout the region, which includes the Lone Star Conference, Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the Heartland Conerence.

Earlier this month, Brister became the first four-time LSC South Division MVP in league history as she helped lead the Lady Buffs to the division title with a 10-2 record. Without Brister, the Lady Buffs won their second straight league championship – and third in the last four years – last weekend at the LSC Post-Season Tournament in Bartlesville, Okla. The Lady Buffs are the host and No. 1 seed for this weekend’s NCAA regional tournament in Canyon.

Brister was second in the LSC in scoring in 2008-09 at 23.4 points per game, and she finished her career as the second-leading scorer in LSC history with 2,645 points. She finished her season fifth in the nation in scoring and 10th in steals (3.6 per game). As a freshman, Brister was a Daktronics third team all-America selection, but has been selected Daktronics first team all-America in each of the last two seasons.

Brister is a three-time Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association honorable mention all-America selection and a three-time LSC Female Athlete of the Year. She’s also a three-time LSC South Division Academic Player of the Year. Last year she was the first winner of the Fred Jacoby Academic Athlete of the Year in the LSC.

Joining Brister on the first team were Texas A&M-Commerce senior guard Britney Jordan, Emporia State forward Ida Edwards, Washburn guard Janice Bright and Central Oklahoma forward Lizzie Brenner. Second team selections were Texas Woman’s forward Renee Renz, Emporia State guard Cassondra Boston, Southeastern Oklahoma State forward Destiny Brown, Abilene Christian center Audrey Maxwell-Lively, and St. Mary’s guard Natalie Gamez.

The Lady Buffs prepare for NCAA South Central Regional action, taking on Abilene Christian on Friday, March 13, at the First United Bank Center in Canyon, Texas. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. CST.