March 10, 2009

www.siusalukis.com

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Southern Illinois women's basketball team garnered three All-Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete honors the league announced Tuesday.

Erica Smith was named to the second team, while Kaci Bailey and Jasmine Gibson earned honorable mention honors.

Smith, a three-time honoree in four years at SIU, earned a second-team nod in 2007 and honorable mention honors a year ago. The St. Louis, Mo. native has already earned ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District honors this season. The senior has started 26 of 27 games for the Salukis leading the team in rebounds (6.5 rpg), assists (76), blocks (11) and steals (47). Smith carries a 3.73 grade point average, a double-major in business management and marketing.

A native of Dresden, Tenn., Bailey is earning scholar-athlete honors for the first time. The senior has started 18 of 27 games for the Salukis leads the team in 3-pointers (37 and 3-point percentage (.389). She has made 46 percent of her shots behind the arc in league play, ranked first this season. The senior recreation major with the business marketing and psychology minors carries a 3.92 GPA.

Gibson, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., earns honorable mention honors for the first time in her career. She has started 26 of 27 games for the Salukis this season and leads the team in scoring (13.0 ppg) and field goal percentage (.495). Gibson reached the 1,000-career points mark this season and will finish top-20 all-time at SIU. Gibson carries a 3.20 GPA in recreation.

First Team - Year, GPA, Major
Ashley Austin, Evansville - Senior, 3.55, Biochemistry
*Kristi Cirone, Illinois State - Senior, 3.50, Exercise Science
#!Kelsey Luna, Indiana State - Junior, 4.00, Psychology
!Shannon Novosel, Evansville - Senior, 3.80, Mass Communications
#Marcy Sudbeck, Wichita State - Senior, 3.96, Exercise Science
*Repeat First Team Selection; #2009 CoSIDA Academic All-American 2nd Team; !2008 Second Team Selection

Honorable Mention Year GPA Major
Kaci Bailey, Southern Illinois - Senior, 3.92, Recreation
Lizzie Boeck, UNI - Sophomore, 3.63, Psychology
Jasmine Gibson, Southern Illinois - Senior, 3.20, Recreation
*Skye Johnson, Bradley - Junior, 3.32, Physical Therapy
Kelsey Keizer, Drake - Senior, 3.97, Finance and Secondary Education (business)
*Kelly Krumwiedie, Bradley - Senior, 3.82, Business Management and Administration
Nicolle Lewis, Illinois State - Junior, 3.59, Exercise Science
*Repeat HM Selection