By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information Coordinator

COOKEVILLE, Tenn.—As the women's basketball season has come to a close, the 12 teams in the Ohio Valley Conference gather to honor those who have received post-season awards. One of Tech's very own was named to the All-OVC first team: Samaria Howard.

Howard, a 5-7 senior guard from Jacksonville, Fla., has been a key player for the Golden Eagles throughout the entire 2015-16 season. She saw action in all 29 of Tech's contests including 28 starts. During the season, Howard set career-highs in points (31), rebounds (13), steals (4), blocks (2), and minutes played (46) while also joining the 1,000 point club after surpassing the mark in just two seasons in the Purple and Gold. She scored in double figures for all 29 of Tech's games including 18, 20+ point games and two double-double showings, while leading all Tech players in scoring in 28 of Tech's contests. She led the conference in scoring in OVC play averaging 23.1 points per game and was second in overall play averaging 21 points per game on the season.

Howard ended the season averaging 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 39.6 percent from the floor, 32.9 percent from the three-point range, and 79.7 percent from the line. In the NCAA, her 21 points per game rank her 19th, her 608 total points on the season rank her 12th, her 157 made free throws rank her 10th, and her 214 made field goals rank her 17th.

Howard will graduate this spring after a stellar two-year career at Tech where she saw action in 58 games including 56 starts. She departs from the Purple and Gold accumulating 1,059 points, 322 rebounds, 62 steals, and 72 assists. Over her career, she shot 39.8 percent from the field, 27.6 percent from downtown, and 80.4 percent from the charity stripe while averaging 18.3 points and 5.6 boards per game.

She earned adidas® OVC Player of the Week honors on three separate occasions this season and three adidas® OVC Newcomer of the Week honors in her first season as a Golden Eagle in 2014-15. In the 2014-15 season, Howard earned a place on the all-OVC second team as well as the all-Newcomer team, earning her a spot on the 2015-16 preseason all-OVC team.

FIRST TEAM

Shronda Butts, Sr, G - SIUE

Tiasha Gray, Sr, G – Austin Peay

Samaria Howard, Sr., G – Tennessee Tech

Haley Howard, R-Sr., F  - UT Martin

Jalen O'Bannon, Jr., F – Eastern Kentucky

Ke'Shunan James, So, G/F – Murray State

Kylee Smith, So., G – Belmont

Jayda Johnson, Jr., F – Tennessee State

Sally McCabe, So., F – Belmont

Darby Maggard, Fr., G  - Belmont

SECOND TEAM

Jessy Ward, R-Jr., G – UT Martin

Bri Mitchell, Jr., G – Southeast Missouri

Briana McQueen, Jr., G – Morehead State

Shameekia Murray, Sr., G  - Eastern Kentucky

I'mani Davis, Jr., G – Tennessee State

ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM

Jalen O'Bannon, Jr., F – Eastern Kentucky

Kylee Smith, So., G – Belmont

Darby Maggard, Fr., G  - Belmont

Briana McQueen, Jr., G – Morehead State

Myah Taylor, Fr., G – UT Martin

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Shronda Butts, SIUE

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sally McCabe, Belmont; CoCo Moore, SIUE

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Darby Maggard, Belmont

COACH OF THE YEAR: Kevin McMillan, UT Martin