March 19, 2008
ATLANTA – Janie Mitchell was named the State of Georgia Women’s College Player of the Year, announced the Atlanta Tipoff Club Wednesday. Chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Georgia Selection Committee, Mitchell will be honored at the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Naismith Awards banquet presented by Delta Air Lines and Piedmont Heart Institute on March 25 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
In leading the Yellow Jackets to another 20+ win season, Mitchell averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and ranked fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring. The senior forward has started 93 games in her career, including all 31 of the team’s game this season. She was named to the All-ACC third team this season and is a two-time team co-captain. The Jackets travel to Des Moines, Iowa this weekend for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
“I am so proud of the growth and development of Janie (Mitchell) in her four years at Tech,” head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “She has worked to become the best player in the state of Georgia and one of the best in the ACC. She is a tremendous competitor on the floor and a Dean’s List student in the classroom. Janie is very deserving of this award.”
“This is a strong representation of small colleges and large universities yet the constant is solid basketball play,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “Georgia always produces top basketball talent and this is a representative of that.”
Other award winners were announced as follows:
State of Georgia Men’s College Player of the Year: Louis Graham, Georgia Southern University – The senior forward averaged 16.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Eagles (20-12, 13-7) en route to a First Team All-Southern Conference (media and coaches) selection. He was twice named Southern Conference Player of the Week. Graham finished third in the Southern Conference in scoring and blocks (54), the latter a single-season record for a senior at GSU. For his career, he owns the school record for blocks (207), ranks seventh in career scoring (1,581) and third in rebounding (908).
Whack Hyder State of Georgia Women’s College Coach of the Year: Craig Roden, University of West Georgia – The Wolves responded from a 12-15 record last year and a pre-season choice of 3rd-place in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) this year, by posting a 24-3 overall record. West Georgia won the GSC East Division title (11-1), and earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 1994. Roden became only the second coach in the program’s history to claim two GSC East Coach of the Year honors, and he now ranks third all-time in GSC wins. His career record is 414-352 and his overall mark at West Georgia is 165-156.
Whack Hyder State of Georgia Men’s College Coach of the Year: Jeff Price, Georgia Southern University – The Eagles bounced back from a sub-.500 record a year ago to go 20-12 (13-7), good enough for a tie for second place in the Southern Conference. The 13 conference wins was the most in a single season at GSU since the Eagles joined the Southern Conference. Price’s career mark at the school is 157-111 in nine seasons, including 20+ wins in three of the last five campaigns. The 2000 Southern Conference Coach of the Year has an overall coaching record of 293-153 (15th year).
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 since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969. The Naismith Awards program has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the Men’s and Women’s College Player of the Year, Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year, as well as awards for outstanding achievement in high school basketball, officiating, and overall contribution to the game.
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