Furman Places Two On Coaches' All Conference Team

Feb. 28, 2005

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Two Lady Paladin basketball players were named to the Southern Conference Coaches' All-League team and guard Chrissy Phelps earned a spot on the All-Freshman squad, it was announced on Monday by the Southern Conference office.

Despite missing seven games with mononucleosis this season, senior center Jen Nadalin (Guelph, Ontario, Canada) picked up her first all-conference nod after being tabbed as preseason all-conference, also by the coaches. Nadalin averaged 14.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season, and claimed four double-doubles in 20 games for the Lady Paladins. In addition, she shot 45.0% from the field, 72.5% from the free throw line, and was credited with 21 blocks and 23 steals on the season.

Joining Nadalin on the coaches' All Conference team is junior point guard Tommi Paris (Chattanooga, Tenn.). Paris played in all 27 games this season, starting 26, and averaged 13.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. In addition, she ranks seventh in the nation in free throw percentage, with an 89.1% mark, and is shooting 38.6% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range. She has also claimed a team-best 68 steals and has been Furman's leading scorer nine times. It is also Paris' first all-conference citation.

All Freshman choice Chrissy Phelps, a 5-7 guard from Damascus, Md., saw action in all 27 games this season, averaging 25.4 minutes per game. She enters the SoCon Tournament averaging 8.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, and has also claimed 63 steals on the season, second on the team only to Paris. Phelps scored a career-high 20 points in the regular season finale at Elon, and has managed double-digits 10 times in the 2004-05 campaign.

The Lady Paladin basketball team enters the Southern Conference Tournament in Chattanooga as the No. 3 seed with an 18-9 overall record and 13-7 mark in league play. Furman will play the winner of the Wofford - Western Carolina game in Maclellan Gym on Thursday, March 3, 30 minutes after the 5 p.m. contest. The last time Furman placed two players on the coaches All-Conference squad was 2001-02, when Orion Wake and DeShara Shealey were so honored. Furman's last All-Freshman selection was 2001-02, when Monica Pope was named league Freshman of the Year.

Coaches All Southern Conference Team Tiffani Mayes - ETSU Katie Hamilton - DAV Katasha Brown - UTC Jennifer Gardner-WCU Tiffani Roberson - UTC Jen Nadalin - FUR Nicole Mattison - UTC Patrice Bryant - CofC Tommi Paris - FUR B.J. Banjo - ETSU

All Freshman Team Kristen Boone - UNCG Danielle Hemerka - DAV Chrissy Phelps - FUR Laura Hall - UTC Brooke Hand - UTC

Player of the Year: Tiffani Mayes, ETSU Coach of the Year: Wes Moore, UTC Freshman of the Year: Kristen Boone, UNCG