March 3, 2009
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina guard Lakeisha Sutton (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team, the league announced today. A unanimous selection by the league’s head coaches, Sutton is the first Gamecock to earn league All-Freshman honors since Demetress Adams made the team in 2005-06.
“I’m truly proud of Lakeisha’s accomplishment and look forward to her having a tremendous career,” head coach Dawn Staley said. “Our South Carolina family, the city of Columbia and her hometown of Trenton should know she’s representing nicely.”
Sutton is the Gamecocks’ leading active scorer at 11.1 points per game, a number that jumps to 13.6 points per game in league play. She is the league’s highest-scoring freshman in conference games while ranking eighth in field goal percentage (.425) and ninth in assists per SEC outing (3.6). After opening SEC play with 17 points against then-No. 9/8 Auburn, Sutton scored in double figures eight more times and finished the season with 15 or more points in eight of 14 SEC contests.
In all, Sutton has been the Gamecocks’ leading scorer in nine games of her inaugural college season. She netted a season-high 24 points against USC Upstate, and she twice posted an SEC season-high 19 points – against LSU and Mississippi. In the Ole Miss contest, she also matched her season high of seven assists.
Sutton and the Gamecocks open play in the SEC Tournament on Thu., March 5, against Mississippi State. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports South at 10 p.m. (ET).
SEC All-Freshman Team
*Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee
*Lakeisha Sutton, South Carolina
Lyndsay Harris, Arkansas
Trumae Lucas, Florida
*LaSondra Barrett, LSU
Ceira Ricketts, Arkansas
Glory Johnson, Tennessee
Ericka Russell, Alabama
All-SEC First Team
*DeWanna Bonner, Auburn
*Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt
Whitney Boddie, Auburn
*Marshae Dotson, Florida
*Allison Hightower, LSU
*Sha Brooks, Florida
Bianca Thomas, Mississippi
Alexis Rack, Mississippi State
All-SEC Second Team
Angie Bjorklund, Tennessee
Ashley Houts, Georgia
Ceira Ricketts, Arkansas
Angel Robinson, Georgia
Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee
Eleia Roddy, Kentucky
Jennifer Risper, Vanderbilt
Merideth Marsh, Vanderbilt
Victoria Dunlap, Kentucky
SEC All-Defensive Team
DeWanna Bonner, Auburn
Chanel Mokango, Mississippi State
Armelie Lumanu, Mississippi State
Allison Hightower, LSU
Jennifer Risper, Vanderbilt
Coach of the Year: Nell Fortner, Auburn
Player of the Year: DeWanna Bonner, Auburn
Co-Freshman of the Year: Ceira Ricketts, Arkansas/LaSondra Barrett, LSU
Defensive Player of the Year: Jennifer Risper, Vanderbilt
6th Woman of the Year: Charity Ford, Arkansas
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt
*indicates unanimous selection
