KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lady Tiger Basketball's one-two punch — Courtney Clifton and Mackenzie Lee — have been named by the NAIA as Third Team and Honorable Mention All-American selections, respectively.
"Both are in really good company," said their coach, Ginger Colvin. "To have been as productive as they have been and to graduate in four years, carrying this year's team like they did, is special. I'm just really proud of them."
Clifton ends her CU career 14th on the all-time Lady Tiger scoring list (1,492 points). She hit 220 3's in her three-year career, leaving her in the program's third position in that statistical category.
She averaged 15 points and 3.26 rebounds on this year's 25-10 team that lost in the Sweet Sixteen of the NAIA Tournament.
Lee is 16th on the all-time scoring list (one spot ahead of her coach) with 1,462 points. She ended her career with 276 steals (fourth place) and 355 assists (ninth place). She averaged 13 points and 3.5 rebounds a game her senior season.
The duo join seven other Mid-South Conference players named by the NAIA. Lindsey Wilson's Ashley Rainey was named to the First Team.
Jessica Pace, Cumberland University; Kourtney Tyra, Georgetown College; and Janae Howard, St. Catharine; were named to the Second Team.
Schera Sampson of Shawnee State and Reilly Poirer of St. Catharine joined Clifton on the Third Team.
In addition of Lee, the 49-member Honorable Mention Team had UVa.-Wise's Chelsea Cluesman and the University of the Cumberland's Dace Bicane.
Players were selected by the NAIA-Women's Basketball Coaches' Association All-America Committee with Tugce Canitez of Westmont (Calif.) named as the NAIA National Player of the Year and Kirsten Moore of Westmont tabbed as the Phyllis Holmes NAIA National Coach of the Year.
Seven individuals were repeat selections from a year ago one the First Team: Natalie Shumpert of Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), Hollie German of Lee, Ashley Rainey of Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), Lauren Gober of Oklahoma City, Nicole Yazzie of Westminster (Utah), Heather English of Columbia (Mo.) and Canitez. Rainey, Shumpert and Gober are receiving All-America honors for the third time of their career.
