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March 23, 2006

West Texas A&M University women's basketball players Keisha Monroe and Emily Brister were tabbed to the Kodak/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) honorable mention All-American list.

"I'm very happy and pleased for both players, they're extremely deserving," WTAMU head coach Bob Schneider said. "Keisha overcame a great deal of adversity and was an great leader for us this year, both on and off the floor. Emily worked extremely hard in the offseason and throughout this season to improve. This is a great honor for both the players, as well as an acknowledgement to the team's success."

Monroe is a 6-1 forward from Garland, Texas (Lakeview Centennial HS), and was the Lady Buffs' lone senior, returning to the lineup on Feb. 9, her first action since suffering a knee injury on Jan. 12, and will have knee surgery on March 30. On the season, Monroe averaged 16.2 ppg and 7.5 rpg, which would rank fourth in the league in scoring and eighth in rebounding, but Monroe missed too many games to reach the 75.0 percent appearance, as she played in 22 of the 32 games. Defensively, Monroe was second on the team with 47 blocks (2.1 bpg), which would rank third in the league statistics. Monroe was named to the LSC All-Tournament Team, helping lead the Lady Buffs to their conference-record eighth LSC title, as she tallied 14 points, six rebounds, five blocks, and four steals in the LSC semifinal win. Monroe then moved on to the Championship game where she tallied her sixth double-double of the season by tallying 14 points and 10 rebounds.

This honor accompanies being named a WBCA South Central Regional Finalist, as well as to the Daktronics All-South Central Region Team. Monroe was also a first-team All-LSC South selection.

Freshman guard Emily Brister was tabbed to the Kodak/WBCA honorable mention All-American list, joining senior teammate Keisha Monroe.

Brister, a 5-9 freshman guard from Amarillo, Texas (Amarillo High School), who led the nation in steals, swiping 4.1 per game, with 132 swipes on the year and tying a Lady Buff single-season record, joining Josephine Longoria's 132 steals in 1990-91, and establishing a new school record for steals average. Brister also led the LSC and is ninth in the NCAA-II in scoring, netting 21.1 ppg, finishing with 676 points, ranking second on the WTAMU single-season scoring list and tied for fourth on the scoring average list. Brister also averaged 2.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game. Brister is seventh in the conference in 3-point FG made, hitting 2.19 per game (70-of-196, .357). From the free throw line, Brister is a team-best 80.7 percent (196-of-243), setting a new WTAMU single-season free throws made record and third in free throw attempts, as well as ranking 10th in the league in FT percentage, leading the conference in both free throws made and attempted.

Brister was named the LSC Tournament MVP for her performance in leading the Lady Buff to their first conference championship since the 1996-97 season. In the LSC Championship game, Brister established a new career-high in rebounds as she tallied 11 rebounds to go along with 17 points to record her third double-double of the season.

This award comes a day after Brister was recognized as a third-team Daktronics All-American. Brister was also named a WBCA South Central Regional Finalist, as well as the Daktronics All-South Central Region Team. She was also the LSC South Player of the Year, LSC South Freshman of the Year, and named to the first-team All-LSC South list.

Monroe and Brister were the only LSC players recognized. Three other South Central Region players were honored, with Michelle Harris from Washburn University and Michelle Stueve from Emporia State University, being named to the All-American Team. Tiffany Vincent from Central Missouri State University joined Monroe and Brister on the honorable mention list.

Monroe and Brister helped WTAMU to a 28-4 record, the most wins since 1996-97, having its season-long 13-game winning streak snapped in the NCAA-II South Central Regional Semifinals, falling to Emporia State, who went on to win the regional and advance to the Elite Eight.

WTAMU also won the LSC Championship, the Lady Buffs' conference-record eighth LSC title. This was the 19th season under head coach Bob Schneider that the Lady Buffs have reached the 20-win milestone.

This year's team marks the 24th year of the Division II Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team, which began in 1983. Selection committees in each of the eight WBCA geographical regions select ten of the top women's basketball players in the nation to be honored.

-WT-