By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
(pictured from left to right: Tia Nicholson, Candace Parson, Samaria Howard, Mariah Dean)
COOKEVILLE, Tenn.—The 2015-16 women's basketball season officially came to a close Wednesday night when the Golden Eagles hosted their annual awards banquet in recognition of the success that the student-athletes had on and off the court this past season.
Taking home top honors were Samaria Howard and Mariah Dean. Dean was honored with the prestigious Frank Porter Award for the second year in-a-row, while Howard 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.
Junior Hannah Goolsby was recognized at the banquet for her academic success, receiving the team's best Academic Student-Athlete honors for the third-straight year.
Howard also received MVP honors for her performance throughout the season. She scored in double-figures in all of Tech's 29 games this past season, including 18, 20+ point games. 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 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.
Dean was also received accolades for leading the team in rebounds. Despite having to sit out early on in the season due to injury, Dean came back as strong as ever ending the season averaging 6.6 boards per game.
Finally, each of the four seniors on the 2015-16 squad, including Tia Nicholson, Candace Parson, Howard, and Dean, were recognized for their contributions to the team throughout their careers as Golden Eagles and were each given their framed jersey.
