By Layne Weitzel, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Following a standout debut season for Tennessee Tech women's basketball, Mackenzie Coleman has earned a spot on the five-member 2017-18 Ohio Valley Conference All-Newcomer team.
Coleman, a 6'3" post from Edmonton, Kentucky, came to Tech from Metcalfe County High School as part of the Golden Eagles' seven-member freshman signing class and just wrapped up her first season of college basketball.
She is the first Golden Eagle to be named an OVC All-Newcomer since Samaria Howard following the 2014-15 season and the first true freshman Tech player to receive the honor since Molly Heady in 2010-11.
Coleman saw action in all 29 of Tech's games and made her first collegiate start at Georgia on Nov. 27, 2017, which was also her first double-figure scoring game. She started Tech's last 25 games and scored in double-figures in 17 of them, including a streak of six-straight.
She led Tech with five double-doubles (all coming in conference play) and also came within one block of tying the program's freshman record for blocks, which Melinda Clayton Hatfield holds with a total of 51 in 1986-87.
Coleman hit her career-high of 22 points at SIUE on Feb. 1 and put up a best of 12 rebounds twice. Her best in blocks came against Morehead State (her first OVC game), putting up six.
Two of Coleman's most notable stats, blocked shots and free throw percentage, places her within the top 10 of all true freshmen in NCAA Division I women's basketball this season. She ranks eighth nationally in both, with an average of 1.7 blocks per game and an 80.8 free-throw percentage.
In the OVC, Coleman finished the season ranked:
- 4th in blocks (1.7 per game; lone freshman in top 5)
- 5th in field goal percentage (48.4; one of two freshmen in top 10)
- 7th in free throw percentage (80.8)
- 23rd in scoring (10.9 points per game)
In OVC play alone, she was ranked:
- 5th in blocks (1.9 per game; only freshman in top 5)
- 9th in offensive rebounds (2.4 per game)
- 10th in rebounds (6.7 per game; only freshman in top 10)
- 11th in field goal percentage (46.3)
- Tied for 13th in defensive rebounds (4.3 per game; one of two freshmen in top 15)
- 18th in scoring (12.6 points per game)
