COLLEGE STATION- Curtyce Knox was named Team MVP at the 2017 Texas A&M women's basketball banquet on Tuesday, inside the Hall of Champions at Kyle Field. Student-athletes, coaches and fans gathered to celebrate the 2016-17 women's basketball season, which resulted in the Aggies' 12th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Knox (Humble, Texas) earned the team MVP award after leading the nation in assists during 2016-17, setting both the Texas A&M and SEC records for assists with 304. She played 630 out of a possible 645 minutes during SEC play, averaging 14.5 points per game in league play, earning Second Team All-SEC honors. The senior point guard was also honored with the team's Miss Defense award, ranking fourth in the SEC with 2.06 steals per game.
Senior Taylor Cooper (Shawnee, Okla.) earned the team's Miss Aggie award for the second straight season, which recognizes an outstanding member of the women's basketball team for contributions both on and off the court. Cooper, who came off the bench for a majority of her career, started the last 13 games of the season. Her 3-point field goal percentage of 41.6% ranked second in a single-season in Texas A&M history.
Sophomore Danni Williams (Clovis, N.M.) earned the team's Miss Offense award, after leading the team, and ranking sixth in the SEC, with 16.6 points per game. Williams, who was named to the All-SEC Second Team, had two 30+ point games, and nine 20+ point games over the course of the season. She finished tied for seventh on Texas A&M's single-season points list.
Sophomore Anriel Howard (Atlanta, Ga.) earned the teams Miss Hustle award for the second straight season, after becoming the first Aggie since 1988-89 to average a double-double for a season. Howard had 13 double-doubles on the season, and had a run from Nov. 17 to Dec. 20 with 10 straight 10+ rebound games, the longest such streak in the Gary Blair era.
Junior Khaalia Hillsman (Chicago, Ill.) was named the team's Most Improved, after increasing her scoring average from 7.3 to 16.4 points. The Second Team All-SEC honoree scored 10+ points in the first 30 games of the season, including the game-winning baskets at Tennessee and against Penn in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.
Junior Jasmine Lumpkin (Bolingbrook, Ill.) earned the team's 6th Man Award. Lumpkin averaged 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds on the season, putting in key performances, including 19 points against No. 19 Syracuse and 14 points in the Aggies' overtime win against Texas Tech.
Freshman Aayliah Jackson (Ft. Smith, Ark.) was selected for the Newcomer Award. Jackson had a season-high five points against Arkansas, and scored four points with an assist in 13 minutes during the NCAA Second Round against UCLA.
Senior Alyssa MIchalke (Schulenburg, Texas) earned the team's Academic Award. Michalke, an Ocean Engineering major, walked on the team in the fall after serving as the commander of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets in 2015-16.
The Noel Devin '04 Season's Greatest Fans Award was given to Mark & Cathy Conlee.
2016-17 Texas A&M Women's Basketball Awards
MVP – Curtyce Knox
Miss Aggie – Taylor Cooper
Miss Offense – Danni Williams
Miss Defense – Curtyce Knox
Miss Hustle – Anriel Howard
Most Improved – Khaalia Hillsman
6th Man Award – Jasmine Lumpkin
Newcomer Award – Aahliyah Jackson
Academic Award – Alyssa Michalke
Noel Devin '04 Season's Greatest Fans – Mark & Cathy Conlee
Knox (Humble, Texas) earned the team MVP award after leading the nation in assists during 2016-17, setting both the Texas A&M and SEC records for assists with 304. She played 630 out of a possible 645 minutes during SEC play, averaging 14.5 points per game in league play, earning Second Team All-SEC honors. The senior point guard was also honored with the team's Miss Defense award, ranking fourth in the SEC with 2.06 steals per game.
Senior Taylor Cooper (Shawnee, Okla.) earned the team's Miss Aggie award for the second straight season, which recognizes an outstanding member of the women's basketball team for contributions both on and off the court. Cooper, who came off the bench for a majority of her career, started the last 13 games of the season. Her 3-point field goal percentage of 41.6% ranked second in a single-season in Texas A&M history.
Sophomore Danni Williams (Clovis, N.M.) earned the team's Miss Offense award, after leading the team, and ranking sixth in the SEC, with 16.6 points per game. Williams, who was named to the All-SEC Second Team, had two 30+ point games, and nine 20+ point games over the course of the season. She finished tied for seventh on Texas A&M's single-season points list.
Sophomore Anriel Howard (Atlanta, Ga.) earned the teams Miss Hustle award for the second straight season, after becoming the first Aggie since 1988-89 to average a double-double for a season. Howard had 13 double-doubles on the season, and had a run from Nov. 17 to Dec. 20 with 10 straight 10+ rebound games, the longest such streak in the Gary Blair era.
Junior Khaalia Hillsman (Chicago, Ill.) was named the team's Most Improved, after increasing her scoring average from 7.3 to 16.4 points. The Second Team All-SEC honoree scored 10+ points in the first 30 games of the season, including the game-winning baskets at Tennessee and against Penn in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.
Junior Jasmine Lumpkin (Bolingbrook, Ill.) earned the team's 6th Man Award. Lumpkin averaged 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds on the season, putting in key performances, including 19 points against No. 19 Syracuse and 14 points in the Aggies' overtime win against Texas Tech.
Freshman Aayliah Jackson (Ft. Smith, Ark.) was selected for the Newcomer Award. Jackson had a season-high five points against Arkansas, and scored four points with an assist in 13 minutes during the NCAA Second Round against UCLA.
Senior Alyssa MIchalke (Schulenburg, Texas) earned the team's Academic Award. Michalke, an Ocean Engineering major, walked on the team in the fall after serving as the commander of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets in 2015-16.
The Noel Devin '04 Season's Greatest Fans Award was given to Mark & Cathy Conlee.
2016-17 Texas A&M Women's Basketball Awards
MVP – Curtyce Knox
Miss Aggie – Taylor Cooper
Miss Offense – Danni Williams
Miss Defense – Curtyce Knox
Miss Hustle – Anriel Howard
Most Improved – Khaalia Hillsman
6th Man Award – Jasmine Lumpkin
Newcomer Award – Aahliyah Jackson
Academic Award – Alyssa Michalke
Noel Devin '04 Season's Greatest Fans – Mark & Cathy Conlee