SIOUX FALLS, S.D. –Evan Zars welcomed herself to The Summit League in style as she was named Newcomer of the Year. The postseason awards were announced Thursday (March 5), as Zars was also named to the All-Newcomer team while Olivia Kaufmann highlighted her final go-around with First Team honors.
“There are so many good players in this league, and for Olivia to be chosen as one of the top six shows how much respect other coaches and media members have for her,” head coach JD Gravina said. “She plays hard and does so much besides just scoring. If you look at her rebounding numbers as a 5’8 guard, it shows how much heart she plays with. She is a model for how a player can develop over four years with the right attitude and work ethic.”
Another
career first from the league writes the story of Kaufmann’s senior
season. She earned All-League for the first time after receiving second
team last year and finished second in the league averaging 16.7 points
per game. Kaufmann became the 19th Leatherneck to reach 1,000 points and
later the sixth player in program history with 1,000 points and 300
assists. A Summit Player of the Week (Jan. 13), a career first, she
scored double digits in 24 games this season and sits 10th all-time in
assists (306), steals (186), and games played (116). Outside of scoring,
she finished second on the team in rebounding with 153 boards.
“Evan
has done a tremendous job adjusting to a new school, team, coach, and
system. She is a game-changer on the boards and defensively for us. She
improved continuously throughout the year, and it’s exciting to think
about what she will become over the next few years.”
Zars becomes the seventh Leatherneck to be named All-Newcomer, with last being Ashley Luke in the 2012-13 season. She started all 29 games and finished second in the Summit with 268 rebounds for seventh all-time in a season for Western. Zars pieced together eight double-doubles, including three consecutive along with 46 blocks that already place her ninth all-time in program history.
The five-seeded Leathernecks take on No. 4 seed Oral Roberts for the second consecutive season this Sunday (March 8) at Noon in The Summit League Championship Quarterfinal opening round at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Award List
Player of the Year
Ciara Duffy, South Dakota
Defensive Player of the Year
Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota
Sixth Woman of the Year
Taylor Frederick, South Dakota
Newcomer of the Year
Evan Zars, Western Illinois
Freshman of the Year
Tori Nelson, South Dakota State
Coach of the Year
Dawn Plitzuweit, South Dakota
First Team All-League
Paiton Burckhard, South Dakota State
Ciara Duffy, South Dakota
Olivia Kaufmann, Western Illinois
Keni Jo Lippe, Oral Roberts
Madison Nelson, Denver
Hannah Sjerven, South Dakota
Second Team All-League
Julia Fleecs, North Dakota
Chloe Lamb, South Dakota
Tagyn Larson, South Dakota State
Lauren Loven, Denver
Mariah Murdie, Omaha
Honorable Mention All-League
Montserrat Brotons, Oral Roberts
Taylor Frederick, South Dakota
Michelle Gaislerova, North Dakota State
Madison McKeever, South Dakota
Rylie Torrey, Oral Roberts
All-Newcomer Team
Ryan Cobbins, North Dakota State
Jentry Holt, Oral Roberts
Tori Nelson, South Dakota State
Riley Ott, Purdue Fort Wayne
Evan Zars, Western Illinois
***Report courtesy of Western Illinois University***
