POINT LOOKOUT, MO. – Fisher College sophomore guard Aliyanah McIntosh took home the Newcomer of the Year Award as well as being placed on the Second Team All-Conference. McIntosh completed the season with 362 points of which 150 were field goals, 22 were 3-pointers, and 40 were free throws. She accumulated a team high 240 rebounds and 118 assists. Nationally, she ranked 2nd in steals per game (3.808), 3rd in total steals (99), 3rd in defensive rebounds per game (8.462), 14th in assists per game (4.538), and 19th in total rebounds per game (9.231).
The Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) announced on Thursday evening that Indiana University Northwest's Nicki Monahan has been named the A.I.I. Division II Women's Basketball Player of the Year. Monahan received the honor at the 2017 A.I.I. Championships Banquet held in Branson, Missouri. The honors banquet precedes the A.I.I. Championships, beginning on Friday at College of the Ozarks.
Monahan, a senior guard from Portage, Indiana ranks seventh in NAIA Division II in points per game with 20.27 per contest and is eighth in total scoring with 588 points this season. Joining Monahan with individual honors was Kelsie Cleeton of College of the Ozarks who was named the A.I.I. Defensive Player of the Year and Aliyanah McIntosh of Fisher College who was recognized as the Newcomer of the Year. Indiana University Northwest's Ryan Shelton was honored by his peers as the A.I.I. Women's Basketball Coach of the Year. Shelton's RedHawks enter the A.I.I. Championships as the #14 team in the country.
All-Conference First Team honorees are Kelsie Cleeton (College of the Ozarks), McCorra Ford (Johnson & Wales University), Cassidy Johnson (College of the Ozarks), Nicki Monahan (Indiana University Northwest), and Grayce Roach (Indiana University Northwest). Second team honorees are Abbie Banks (Central Christian College), Katie Boyce (Lincoln Christian University), Cerissa Honena (Haskell Indiana Nations University), Aliyanah McIntosh (Fisher College), and Hannah Wisdom (College of the Ozarks.)
Recognized as All-Conference Honorable Mention are Demetria Clichee (Northern New Mexico College), Bethany McCord (Rochester College), Cara McNiff (Johnson & Wales University), Kortney Meat (Haskell Indian Nations University), Lakin Simmerman (College of the Ozarks), and Olivia Turner (Washington Adventist University).
The 2017 A.I.I. Championships get underway at 1:00pm CT on Friday on the campus of College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri.
2016-2017 A.I.I. All-Conference Honors
Player of the Year
Nicki Monahan – Indiana University Northwest
Defensive Player of the Year
Kelsie Cleeton – College of the Ozarks
Newcomer/Freshman of the Year
Aliyanah McIntosh – Fisher College
Coach of the Year
Ryan Shelton – Indiana University Northwest
First Team
Kelsie Cleeton – College of the Ozarks
McCorra Ford – Johnson & Wales University
Cassidy Johnson – College of the Ozarks
Nicki Monahan – Indiana University Northwest
Grayce Roach – Indiana University Northwest
Second Team
Abbie Banks – Central Christian College
Katie Boyce – Lincoln Christian University
Cerissa Honena – Haskell Indian Nations University
Aliyanah McIntosh – Fisher College
Hannah Wisdom – College of the Ozarks
Honorable Mention
Demetria Clichee – Northern New Mexico College
Bethany McCord – Rochester College
Cara McNiff – Johnson & Wales University
Kortney Meat – Haskell Indian Nations University
Lakin Simmerman – College of the Ozarks
Olivia Turner – Washington Adventist University