ALLEN, TEXAS – With the Lone Star Conference tipping off its postseason tournament on Thursday, it held its awards banquet on Wednesday evening, and the Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team was well represented. Mikaehla Connor received three awards, while two other players also made All-Lone Star Conference. Head Coach Josh Prock was named LSC Coach of the Year, for his efforts in leading the program to its first league title.

“I’m very proud of our young ladies and their accomplishments,” Prock said. “I’m looking forward to a good tournament.”
Connor, a biology major with an emphasis in pre-medical sciences, was one of five players chosen to the LSC Women’s Basketball All-Academic Team.

She also was named first team all-conference and to the LSC All-Defensive Team. Connor was a driving force for the Greyhounds on both ends of the court this season. She garnered three LSC Player of the Week awards, two for her offense, and the other for defense. With the second-best assist/turnover ratio in the league, she perpetually facilitated the Greyhound offense. Connor also was feared on the defensive end as a tenacious rebounder, shot blocker, and one of four ENMU players with at least 20 steals. In an overtime win over co-LSC champion Angelo State, she scored a career-high 25 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked a shot. IN the overtime session, she scored nine of ENMU’s 15 points. Connor also had a 19-point outing in the Hounds’ first road victory over West Texas A&M since 1981.

The award to Prock marked the fifth time an ENMU women’s basketball coach received the LSC Coach of the Year honor, and the first time since 2004, when Dan Buzard was honored. Wayne Moore was selected in 1990, 1991, and 1993. When he arrived at Eastern in 2013, Prock inherited a program which hadn’t had a winning season since 2006-07 (14-12). Each season under Prock’s watch, the team earned more victories. This year, the program notched its third 20-win season and a team-record 16 LSC wins. The Hounds picked up their first road wins over West Texas A&M since 1981, Midwestern State since 2006, and Tarleton State since 2000. Eastern also notched an overtime road victory over LSC co-Champion Angelo State. Entering the tournament, Prock’s 45 wins at ENMU are just two shy from tying for second place on the program’s all-time wins list.

For the second straight season, Kassandra Harris was chosen Second Team All-LSC. Her play in the post has been a strong asset for ENMU both offensively and defensively. For the season, she led the Hounds with 11.9 points per game and ranked tenth in the conference in free-throw percentage. She reached double figures 16 times, with a season-best 18 points against Texas A&M-Commerce and Texas Woman’s. Harris registered a double double in the season opener against South Dakota Mines, and poured in eight points in victories at West Texas A&M and Angelo State.

Daeshi McCants garnered Team All-LSC for her standout play this season. Her five double doubles were the most by an ENMU player since Tiana Bryant in the 2005-06 season. Two of her double doubles came against LSC co-champion Angelo State, while another came against nationally-ranked Western Washington. McCants ranked ninth in the LSC in rebounding and reached double figures on six occasions. She also reached the 20-point mark in road wins over West Texas A&M, and the title-clinching win at Cameron.

The Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team will open play in the conference tournament at the Allen Events Center tomorrow evening at 5 pm MST. The top seeded Greyhounds will open play with a rematch from the regular-season finale against Texas A&M-Kingsville.