AUM’s Jatoria Carter Named WBCA NAIA Player of the Year
ATLANTA (aumathletics.com) — Auburn Montgomery senior guard Jatoria Carter was selected the 2016 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s NAIA Player of the Year Wednesday, making her just the second player in program’s history to earn the national award.
Carter joined former AUM standout Joanna Cuprys as the only Warhawk to receive the award. Cuprys earned the honor in 1996. Additionally, Carter headlined the 2016 WBCA NAIA All-America team, becoming the first AUM player named since Crystal Williams was named to the Kodak/WBCA Coaches’ All-America team in 2001.
“Tori is so deserving of this award,” head coach Dan Davis said. “She is not only the catalyst for our team, she is also someone of very high character and has persevered through two major knee injuries to become the player she is today. She is a special player, who has done some incredible things for this program. Tori is an incredible basketball player, but to me what sticks out even more is the way she plays the game and leads her team with such humility. I am so proud of her.”
A Montgomery native, Carter ranks in the top-10 nationally in six statistical categories, including leading the NAIA in steals with 122. She is second in points (667), points per game (20.8) and steals per game (3.813), while ranking sixth in assists (162). Her 5.1 assists per game is ninth nationally. She led the Southern States Athletic Conference in all six categories en route to being named the SSAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
Carter recorded six 30-point games this season, including a career-high 38 points against nationally-ranked Shawnee State. She recorded a pair of double-doubles during the season, finishing with 26 points and 10 assists against Brescia, while also tallying 17 points and 10 steals at Martin Methodist. Earlier this season, she became the 15th member of the 1,000 Point Club at AUM, reaching the milestone in just 61 games.
Each year, the WBCA presents the player of the year award to the top player in five WBCA membership divisions – NCAA Divisions II, III, NAIA, Junior/Community College and high school.
“The WBCA is delighted to name Jatoria as the 2016 WBCA NAIA Player of the Year,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “Jatoria has played an integral role in guiding her team to an extraordinary season, and is very deserving of this distinguished honor. The WBCA applauds Jatoria for her hard work, dedication and contributions to the game during the 2015-16 season.”
Carter and the seventh-seeded Warhawks will return to action Thursday, March 17, when they open play in 2016 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship against No. 2 seed Vanguard. Tipoff is slated for 10:45 a.m., from the Silverstein Eye Center in Independence, Mo.
2016 WBCA NAIA Coaches’ All-America Team
Jatoria Carter, Guard, Auburn Montgomery
Natalee Faupel, Guard, Montana State-Northern
Lindsey Burd, Forward, Campbellsville
Taleeah Cross, Guard, Freed-Hardeman
Whitney Gathright, Guard, Xavier of Louisiana
Abbey Hengesbach, Guard, Olivet Nazarene
Alex Kneeland, Guard, Mount Marty College
Kara Krolicki, Guard, Saint Xavier
Melissa Norman, Center, Vanguard
Daniela Wallen, Forward, Oklahoma City
2016 WBCA NAIA Coaches’ All-America Team Honorable Mentions
Petrolina Chilaka, Guard, Columbia College
Kassidy De Jong, Guard, Northwestern College
Samantha Doucette, Guard/Forward, Vanguard
Jessica Foster, Guard/Forward, Georgetown College
Emily Fox, Guard, Campbellsville
Sydney Greiner, Guard, St. Ambrose
Taylor Hamilton, Guard, Our Lady of the Lake
Erin Legel, Guard, Great Falls
Aundrea Matchen, Guard, Pikeville
Caelyn Orlandi, Guard, Lewis-Clark State
Miranda Palmer, Guard, Huntington
Alyssa Ramos, Guard, Southeastern
Charnelle Reed, Forward, St. Francis
Chanel Roberts, Forward, Lindsey Wilson
Ashley Romig, Center, Ottawa
Chayla Rutledge, Forward, Benedictine
Christin Strawbridge, Forward, Southeastern
Brandy Uchtman, Forward, College of the Ozarks
Martessia Williams, Guard, Bethel
Hannah Wisdom, Guard, College of the Ozarks
