Aggie Women Celebrate Another Great Season In The Record Books
Apr 14, 2009 | Women's Basketball
April 14, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M women's basketball program celebrated yet another great season in the record books at the team's annual celebration banquet held Tuesday night at The Zone Club at Kyle Field.
The Aggies capped off the 2008-09 season with the second-most victories in school history with a 27-8 overall record and their fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament including back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances under sixth-year head coach Gary Blair. A&M earned a program-best No. 3 national ranking during the season in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Polls. In addition, the Aggies reached the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament and earned a program-best No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.
One of the greatest four-year chapters in Aggie Basketball history came to a close as those in attendance paid homage to the Class of '09 made up of graduating seniors Takia Starks (Houston, Texas), Danielle Gant (Oklahoma City, Okla.), La Toya Micheaux (Missouri City, Texas) and Kiley Finstad (Cranfills Gap, Texas) who helped put A&M on the national map and among the nation's elite programs. Part of the winningest senior class in program history with a 104-32 (.765) overall record, Starks and Gant fittingly shared the team's Most Valuable Player Award as well as the Miss Offense and Miss Defense Awards respectively.
Starks closed out her illustrious four-year career as the school's all-time leader in scoring (1,977), field goals made (783), field goals attempted (1,913), three-point field goals made (178) and three-point field goals attempted (517). A three-time member of the All-Big 12 Conference First Team, she is the program's first two-time AP All-America honorable mention selection. Starks and the A&M coaching staff were presented at the banquet with framed-commissioned artwork by Benjamin Knox depicting her winning drive in one of the greatest games ever in school history, a 57-56 victory over second-ranked Oklahoma at Reed Arena on Feb. 23.
Gant became the highest-ever draft pick in school history as she was selected 16th overall by the Chicago Sky in the second round of the 2009 WNBA Draft. Tabbed as the 2009 Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, she is a three-time member of the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and two-time member of the All-Big 12 First Team. The Big 12 All-Tournament Team and Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection also left her mark in the A&M annals ranked third all-time in scoring (1,645), second in rebounding (919), second in field goals made (646), third in free throws made (352), fourth in blocked shots (110) and third all-time in steals (269).
Sophomore Sydney Colson (Houston, Texas) was presented with the Miss Aggie Award which is annually given to a women's basketball student-athlete who displays loyalty and commitment to the university and program. As A&M's floor general and one of the most-outgoing student-athletes on campus, Colson played and started in all 35 games of the season dishing out 106 assists and making the second-most steals on the team (75).
Junior Tanisha Smith (Kansas City, Mo.) garnered Newcomer of the Year honors after playing in 34 games with 21 starts for the Aggies. A former JUCO All-American out UA-Fort Smith, she finished the season ranked third on the team in scoring with 10.6 points per game and shot a team-best 44.6 percent from beyond the arc. Smith was selected as Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team along with Gant.
Juniors Damitria Buchanan (Houston, Texas) and Katrina Limbaha (Riga, Latvia) received the team's academic award for their off-the-court accomplishments in the classroom. Both were honored on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team this season. Buchanan, who currently ranks 11th all-time in career blocked shots, will graduate in three years with a bachelor's degree in psychology and plans on continuing graduate coursework in school counseling this summer. Limbaha, who has seen action in 62 career games, holds an impressive 3.76 grade-point average in international studies.
Sophomore Maryann Baker (Dallas, Texas) was the recipient of the team's Miss Hustle Award and freshman Kelsey Assarian (Naples, Fla.) the Most Improved Award. Baker competed in 21 games prior to a season-ending injury to her right shoulder. She saw her first career start against Colorado on Feb. 14 where she registered career-bests in rebounds and minutes played. Assarian saw action in 29 contests of the season and had breakouts against Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas State. She shot 58.5 percent from the floor in her rookie campaign and scored a career-high eight points versus K-State on March 1.
Freshman Sydney Carter (DeSoto, Texas) rounded out the team award winners with the Sixth Man Award. She was honored on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team for her outstanding first-year of play for the Aggies. Carter played in 34 games of the season with one start and ranked among the top 10 freshmen leaders in the league in scoring, three-point field goal percentage, free throw percentage, steals and assists. She was twice selected as Big 12 Freshman of the Week.
A special highlight video of the season produced and edited by Justin Baetge and Lauren Licarione of 12th Man Productions concluded the night's festivities. Buckey and Carolyn Turk, avid supporters of the program and owners of MacResource Computers in Bryan, Texas, were also honored by Coach Blair with the Season's Greatest Fan Award.
2008-09 TEXAS A&M WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM CELEBRATION BANQUET
April 14, 2009
The Zone Club at Kyle Field
at College Station, Texas
MVP Award - Takia Starks and Takia Starks
Miss Hustle Award - Tanisha Smith
6th Man Award - Damitria Buchanan and Katrina Limbaha
Season's Greatest Fan Award - Buckey and Carolyn Turk
