Issued: May 6, 2004

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DISTRIBUTES TEAM AWARDS

EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team recently handed out team awards for the 2003-04 season.

Becca Spaeth (Sr.-Chippewa Falls/Chi-Hi) was named Most Valuable Player. Spaeth was named to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team, Academic All-Region First Team, Academic All-American Third Team and was a Jostens Trophy Finalist for Division III Player of the Year.

Spaeth averaged a team best 15.7 points per game and a second-best 7.3 rebounds a game, good for third and seventh in the WIAC respectively. Spaeth was also fourth in the conference in blocks per game and eighth in field goal percentage.

Brooke Wozniak-Schmidt (Sr.-Stanley/Stanley/Boyd) was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Wozniak-Schmidt was named along with Spaeth to the WIAC First Team as well as the All-Defensive Team. Wozniak-Schmidt led the conference in rebounding by over three boards a game with a 12.3 per game average.

Toya Banks (Sr.-Rock Island, IL) and Liz Van Drasek (So.-Albertville, MN/St.Michael-Albertville) were named Most Improved. Banks started 12 games this year averaging 6.5 points per game and shooting 40 percent from three-point range. Van Drasek provided solid backup for Spaeth and Wozniak-Schmidt all year averaging 4.4 points and 2.6 rebounds a game in just 12 minutes a game.

Liz Krieg (Fr.-Marshfield) was named Rookie of the Year. Krieg shot 50 percent from the floor and 83 percent from the charity stripe in limited action.

Spaeth, Katie Murphy (Jr.-La Crosse/Aquinas) and Laura Tamm (Sr.-Brillion) were given the Captain's Awards while Tamm was also the recipient of the Blugold Award.