(Pictured from left to right: T’Keyah Williams, Yaktavia “Shug” Hickson, Hannah Goolsby, Samaria Howard, Mariah Dean, and Candace Parson.)
By Jocelyn VerVelde, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The 2014-15 women's basketball season officially came to a close on Thursday night as the Golden Eagles hosted their annual Awards Dinner in recognition of the success that the student-athletes had on and off the court this past season.
Taking home top honors were Candace Parson and Mariah Dean. Dean was honored with the prestigious Frank Porter Award while Parson was given the John P. Hendrix Leadership Award.
The Frank Porter Award is presented to the player for her contributions to the team, the basketball program, Tennessee Tech University and the community. Her team contributions consist of leadership, sportsmanship and fair play as well as academics, citizenship and pose on and off the floor."
The John P. Hendrix Leadership Award is given to the team member who demonstrates what it means to be a leader on and off the court.
Parson was also honored as the team’s leading rebounder, finishing the season with a team-high 6.2 rebounds per game, including four double-digit rebound games this season. Parson was also honored with the team Most Valuable Player award for her efforts.
Other players recognized at the banquet were Samaria Howard, T’Keyah Williams, Yaktavia Hickson, and Hannah Goolsby.
The Best Offensive Player of the Year went to Samaria Howard.
Howard was the leading scorer for the Golden Eagles averaging 15.6 points per game, while shooting 40.2 percent from the field. The newcomer earned a place on the all-OVC Second Team as well as the All-Newcomer team. She also grabbed 5.8 rebounds per game, including surpassing 10+ rebounds in four games. She also finished the season shooting an impressive 81.3-percent from the free throw line. Howard also earned three adidas® Newcomer of the Week awards, and she recorded a team-best four double-doubles on the season.
Howard also was honored with the Golden Eagle Award. The award is for the player that always does what she is asked, with a winning attitude and makes her teammates better players\
Williams was honored with the Best Defense Award. The 6-foot-2 senior led the squad in charges, while also grabbing 5.1 rebounds, and adding 12 blocks, and 23 steals.
Goolsby, for the second-straight year, earned the team's best Academic Student-Athlete.
The "I Dare You" award was given to Hickson. The award recognizes the potential in a student-athlete and dares them to fulfill that potential next season. It encourages her to get in the gym over the summer and prepare for the upcoming season. Hickson averaged 6.3 points per game, including multiple 10-point games. Hickson made nine starts, and shot 41.4 percent from the field.
