Four Lady Raiders earn all-conference recognition

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee has a Conference USA-best four players on all-conference postseason teams, as announced by the league office Tuesday.

Kseniya Malashka was named C-USA Sixth Player of the Year for the second straight season, and Rick Insell earned Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time in his legendary Hall of Fame career.

Savannah Wheeler, Courtney Whitson and Jalynn Gregory all landed on All C-USA teams. Middle Tennessee is the only team to have three players represented on the all-conference first and second teams.

"I'm proud of each of these young ladies," Insell said. "We had a great regular season and each of those players had an impact in our success. They deserve the recognition for what they did for our basketball team throughout the regular season. Now, we need to turn our attention to the (Conference USA Championship) this week."

Malashka joins Gabby Lyon (2016-17) as the only Lady Raiders to be named Conference USA Sixth Player of the Year. The senior forward is Middle Tennessee's leading scorer with 15.4 points per game, which is good for fifth in the C-USA standings. Malashka also averages 5.6 rebounds per game. She leads C-USA in blocked shots per game with right at two per game, and is second in the league for field goal percentage (48 percent).

Insell was named Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career, sharing the honor with UTEP's Kevin Baker. Insell has guided the Lady Raiders to a 25-4 record and the C-USA regular-season conference championship. The 25 wins are seventh most in program history. Middle Tennessee posted an 18-2 mark in league play, setting a new league record for wins.

Wheeler is having a banner season in her breakout Lady Raider debut. The All-American candidate is among league leaders for scoring (6^th, 15.3), assist/turnover ratio (4^th, 1.7), assists (9^th, 3.1), free throw percentage (2^nd, .875), as well as 3-point field goals made and assists. She was a three-time C-USA Player of the Week honoree.

Whitson earned all-conference honors for the second straight season after nearly averaging a double-double. Whitson enters the C-USA Championship averaging 10.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, which leads the league. She also leads C-USA in defensive rebounds per game with 5.7.

Gregory has turned in a solid sophomore season to land on the all-conference team. The sharpshooting guard leads C-USA in 3-point field goals per game (2.6) and 3-point field goal percentage (.337). She is also ninth in the league for scoring (13.3) and seventh for steals (1.8).

C-USA postseason awards are voted on by the league's coaches, media and sports information directors.

2022-23 C-USA Postseason Awards
Player of the Year
Jordyn Jenkins, UTSA

Freshman of the Year
Aniya Hubbard, Florida Atlantic

Co-Coach of the Year
Rick Insell, Middle Tennessee
Kevin Baker, UTEP

Defensive Player of the Year
Elina Arike, UTEP

Sixth Player of the Year
Kseniya Malashka, Middle Tennessee

Newcomer of the Year
Jordyn Jenkins, UTSA

All-Conference USA First Team
Dazia Lawrence, Charlotte
Jada McMillian, Charlotte
Keiunna Walker, LA Tech
Savannah Wheeler, Middle Tennessee
Courtney Whitson, Middle Tennessee
Quincy Noble, North Texas
Jazion Jackson, UTEP
Jordyn Jenkins, UTSA

All-Conference USA Second Team
Kaliah Henderson, FIU
Aniya Hubbard, Florida Atlantic
Anna Larr Roberson, LA Tech
Jalynn Gregory, Middle Tennessee
Ashlee Austin, Rice
Malia Fisher, Rice
Margaret Whitley, UAB
Elina Arike, UTEP

C-USA All-Defensive Team
Aniya Hubbard, Florida Atlantic
Keinna Walker, LA Tech
Elina Arike, UTEP
Elyssa Coleman, UTSA
Jaylin Foster, WKU

C-USA All-Freshman Team
Sifa Joyeuse, FIU
Aniya Hubbard, Florida Atlantic
Denim DeShields, UAB
Sidney Love, UTSA
Acacia Hayes, WKU

Middle Tennesee State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Jalynn Gregory

Kseniya Malashka

Savannah Wheeler

Courtney Whitson

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