Whitney Ballinger followed up her WBCA National Player of the Year announcement March 16 with a dominating performance in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Tournament and by being named a NAIA First Team All-American on March 23. Lady Tiger teammate Courtney Danis is an Honorable Mention selection.

In addition to being named All-American, Ballinger was named Co-Player of the Year by the NAIA, sharing the honor with Vanguard University guard Bridgette Reyes. It is the first time the honor has been shared since 2005, when Vanguard's Lisa Faulkner split the award with Union University's Stephanie Clark. This is the fourth time in five years a Vanguard player has at least shared the Player of the Year honor.

Ballinger, a 2008-09 Second Team All-American, set single-game and single-season records for scoring, rebounds and blocks at Campbellsville during her junior campaign in 2009-10. The 6-foot-3 junior post player from Carrollton, Ky., averaged 30.3 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks through the national tournament and wowed spectators in the national quarterfinal with 48 points. Those numbers earned her a spot on the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National All-Tournament Second Team.

"It is a great honor for her and the program, and she showed why she was named the WBCA Player of the Year with her play in the national tournament and leading us so close to the Fab Four," CU head coach Ginger Colvin said.

However, the thought of Ballinger having to share Campbellsville's first-ever NAIA National Player of the Year honor for any sport, did not sit well with Colvin.

"It is disappointing though that the committee didn't recognize how dominating she is. I can't imagine 48 points wouldn't get someone's attention against a No. 1 seed (Oklahoma City) in the national quarterfinal. If her numbers don't speak for themselves, I don't know what else she could have done."

During the season, Ballinger was named the Mid-South Conference Player of the Week a record nine times and the NAIA Division I Player of the Week a record three times. At the end of the season, Ballinger led the nation in total points (813), total rebounds (422), total blocks (147) and double-doubles (23). She was the only player in NAIA Division I to record two triple-doubles during the season.

Reyes, a senior guard from Tustin, Calif., led Vanguard with 20 points per game (fifth in the NAIA) and 6.2 assists per game (third in the NAIA). Reyes and No. 1 seed Vanguard reached the quarterfinals of the national tournament, losing in regulation to third-seed Lee (Tenn.) University, 65-60. Reyes was an Honorable Mention All-America selection in the 2008-09.

Danis was named a NAIA All-America Honorable Mention for the second time in her career. Danis, a junior from Mt. Sterling, Ky., averaged 11.9 points per game for CU this season and was second in rebounding with 88 offensive rebounds and 4.6 rebounds per game.

The Team Sportsmanship Award will be announced at the conclusion of the National Championship game Tuesday.