PORTLAND, Ore. - The Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced their 2022-23 Women's Basketball All-Conference teams and special awards.
Emma McKenney of the Nanooks women's basketball team earned Honorable Mention honors after her first season in the blue and gold.
"I'm so excited and proud to hear Emma was named Honorable Mention All-Conference." said first-year head coach
Amy Donovan, "It's a testament to the hard work and perseverance she displayed all season. The GNAC is one of the best conferences in the nation, and to come in as a newcomer and produce in the way she did is incredible." McKenney joined the Nanooks before the 2022-23 season after spending time at Lane Community College in the Northwest Athletic Conference. McKenney, a 5-6 junior guard who hails from Springfield, Ore., played in 22 of the Nanooks 25 games this year, starting in all 22 appearances. She led the 'Nooks in scoring, posting 281 points for 12.8 points per game. She shot 44.6% from the floor, third-best on the team and led the Nanooks from deep with 53 made three-pointers for a 42.7 three-point percentage. She also went 62-79 from the free-throw line, the second-most made this season.
McKenney added 37 rebounds for 1.7 per game, 32 assists, 12 steals and a block this season. McKenney scored double-digits in 12 of 22 games this season, including five 20+ performances and a 30-point performance on Jan. 12 against Northwest Nazarene. That night she went 9-15 from the floor, 5-11 from deep and 8-8 from the charity stripe. To end the regular-season, McKenney finished third in the GNAC for three-point percentage and 14th in the NCAA Division II. She also finished in the top-50 for three pointers per game with an average of 2.41, good for third in the conference and 46th in the nation. McKenney was grateful for the honor and thankful for those around her after hearing the news about the conference honor, "I'm super honored to get nominated in my first year. I'm also so grateful for this experience and to play alongside this group and so thankful for my coaches to give me this opportunity!"
Alaska wrapped-up the 2022-23 season on Saturday, Feb. 25 at Seattle Pacific.
Central Washington grabbed a pair of the individual awards as Samantha Bowman was named the 2022-23 GNAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year and Asher Cai was named the Freshman of the Year. Kevin Woodin of Montana State Billings was named the GNAC Coach of the Year, Avery Dykstra of Western Washington was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and Vishe' Rabb of Alaska Anchorage was named the GNAC Newcomer of the Year.
For complete details on the 2022-23 GNAC Women's Basketball All-Conference Team,
click here.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks women's basketball team, follow @NanooksWBB on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Women's Basketball team page on Facebook.
