Feb. 26, 2002
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech women’s basketball team got its postseason off to a good start by placing four players on the All-Atlantic Coast Conference team as announced by the Associated Press today. The four players, marks the most in school history for the Yellow Jackets, surpassing the total of two during the 1988 season.
“Having four players earn five All-ACC awards with Milli being named to the All-Defensive team is a great tribute to all of their hard work this year,” said Tech head coach Agnus Berenato. “All four of them are very deserving and I couldn’t be more excited for our team and our players. I think this is a great representation of our team and the work they have done and that our coaches have done this season.”
Heading up the Tech players on the list, were junior Sonja Mallory and senior Milli Martinez, both of whom tied with 63 votes and were part of the five-member second team. Martinez and Mallory both earned All-ACC honors for the first time in their careers. Mallory currently ranks ninth in the conference in scoring and leads the Jackets with 14.1 points per game and is third in the league in rebounding with 8.2 per contest and second in blocks (2.00/g).
Martinez was also named to the ACC’s five-member all-defensive team after serving as the Yellow Jackets’ top defensive player this season. Martinez ranks third on the team and 17th in the ACC in scoring (12.1), while also rating among the conference leaders in rebounding (8th), assists (7th), steals (t-9th) and leading the conference in offensive rebounding.
The third Yellow Jacket on the all-conference team, is senior Regina Tate, who earned third-team recognition for the first time in her career. The Columbus, Ga., native had a breakout year in her return from a stress fracture, which sidelined her a year ago. Tate ranks second on the team and 14th in the ACC in scoring (12.9) and is fourth in the conference in rebounding while also rating fifth in field goal percentage. Earlier this month, Tate was named the Georgia Commission on Women Collegiate Sportswoman of the Year and earned second-team Verizon Academic All-District honors.
Rounding out the Georgia Tech honorees for 2002 is junior guard Nina B?rlin, who missed the Jackets’ last 10 games after suffering a torn ACL in Tech’s win over Florida State on January 20. The Katrineholm, Sweden, native earned honorable mention honors after ranking second in the ACC in total assists with 135 despite playing only 17 games and was second in the nation in assists per game for much of the first half of the year.
Tech will open play in the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., on Saturday, March 2 when it faces fourth-seeded Virginia in a game that will tip off at 2 p.m.
The Associated Press all-Atlantic Coast Conference women's basketballteams for 2002 as voted on by 46 members of the Atlantic Coast SportsWriters Association. First-place votes in parenthesis.(Point totals on a 3-2-1 system)FIRST TEAMAlana Beard, Duke (46) 138Iciss Tillis, Duke (40) 129Coretta Brown, North Carolina (32) 120Chrissy Floyd, Clemson (32) 119Nikki Teasley, North Carolina (27) 111SECOND TEAMBrandi Teamer, Virginia (26) 108Monique Currie, Duke (4) 80Telisha Quarles, Virginia (6) 72Kaayla Chones, N.C. State (5) 71(tie) Sonja Mallory, Georgia Tech (2) 63(tie) Milli Martinez, Georgia Tech (3) 63THIRD TEAMTonia Brown, Wake Forest (1) 43Marche Strickland, Maryland 35Tasheika Morris, Florida St. 31Marci Glenney, Clemson 27Regina Tate, Georgia Tech 27HONORABLE MENTION: (10 or more points): Deedee Warley, Maryland (25),Candace Sutton, North Carolina (23), Sheana Mosch, Duke (22), AprilTraylor, Florida St. (21), Carisse Moody, N.C. State (21), Nina Barlin,Georgia Tech (17), Leah Metcalf, North Carolina (14).
