March 16, 2010
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech senior Brigitte Ardossi has been selected as the State of Georgia Women’s College Players of the Year, announced the Atlanta Tipoff Club Tuesday.
Chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Georgia Selection Committee, Ardossi will be recognized at the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Naismith Awards banquet presented by AT&T and SunTrust on March 23 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.
“I am excited that Brigitte is receiving the recognition she deserves,” head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “It is a great honor to have her named as the Atlanta Tipoff Club Georgia Women’s College Player of the Year.”
Ardossi becomes just the fifth Yellow Jacket to receive this award, joining Janie Mitchell (2008), Sonja Mallory (2003), Niesha Butler (1999) and Kisha Ford (1994).
The Melbourne, Australia native led the Yellow Jackets in points and rebounds during the 2009-2010 season, posting career-best averages of 15.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. In ACC contests, those numbers jumped to 18.9 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game. Named Second Team All-ACC, Ardossi scored in double figures 29 times this season and led the conference in free-throw shooting. A starter since her freshman year, Ardossi served as team co-captain this year while leading the Georgia Tech senior class to four straight 20-win seasons for the first time in history.
The Yellow Jackets will continue their season as a No. 6 seed the upcoming 2010 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament with a first round game against 11th-seeded Arkansas-Little Rock. The game at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., which will be televised by ESPN2, is slated to begin at 7:16 p.m. ET.
Other award winners were announced as follows:
State of Georgia Men’s College Player of the Year: Daniel Emerson, Mercer University
– The 6-8 senior from Norcross, Ga., averaged 15.4 points and 12 rebounds per game during the 2009-2010 season, ranking him third in the nation in rebounding. His 385 rebounds this year set Mercer University single-season and Atlantic Sun Conference records. The 21 double-doubles Emerson acquired this season is also the third-highest total in the country. Named Atlantic Sun All-Conference First Team, Emerson also earned all-tournament accolades while leading the Bears to championship game of the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.
Whack Hyder State of Georgia Women’s College Coach of the Year: Dennis Cox, Clayton State University
– Cox continued his masterful run since taking over Clayton State in 2005 by leading the Lakers to a 24-7 record, a number 19 national ranking and a sixth consecutive berth in the NCAA Division II National Tournament this season. During his tenure at Clayton State, he has won three Peach Belt Conference (PBC) regular season championships and three PBC tournament championships en route to a 149-44 record. Cox’s overall coaching record is 440-182 in six seasons at Clayton State and 14 at the JUCO level in Florida.
Whack Hyder State of Georgia Men’s College Coach of the Year: Darryl Jacobs, Clark Atlanta University
– In his fourth year at the helm of Clark Atlanta University’s men’s basketball, Jacobs led the Panthers to an overall record of 24-7 (19-5 SIAC), marking their third consecutive winning season. The Panthers captured the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Regular Season Title and were the 2010 SIAC Tournament Runners-up. For his success, Jacobs was named the 2010 SIAC Coach of the Year. Clark Atlanta’s appearance in the NCAA Division-II Tournament was the school’s first visit since 1996.
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club, founded during the 1956-57 season, has presented the Naismith Trophy every year since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. Old Dominion’s Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women’s Naismith Trophy in 1983. The Naismith Award is the most prestigious award in all of college and high school basketball, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and contribution to the game. For more information visit www.naismithawards.com. The Atlanta Sports Council was created in 1985 under the original name of Sports 2000, and is a division of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. For more information visit www.AtlantaSportsCouncil.com.
-RamblinWreck.com-
