KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the 2017 Division II Women’s Basketball All-America teams on Thursday. Saint Xavier’s (Ill.) Kara Krolicki was named the NAIA National Player of the Year.
Krolicki, who was named to First-Team last season as well, anchored a 34-3 season for the Cougars and a national championship runner-up finish. The Mokena, Ill., native, Krolicki ended her junior season averaging 21.5 points per game – good for a No. 2 ranking out of all NAIA Division II players. Krolicki is the first-ever Saint Xavier player to win the honor, as well as the first Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference player. In the NAIA, Krolicki holds a No. 1 individual ranking in 3-point field goals made (140), No. 2 in total scoring (796), 3-point field goals made per game (3.8) and points per game (21.5). The most points the junior scored in a single game this year was 34 in a win over Robert Morris (Ill.).
Five players who were named to 1st-3rd teams last season are back again this year. Shann Sellers of Friends (Kan.) is the only back-to-back 1st Team honoree after leading the NAIA in points per game (24.4), steals per game (6.5), total steals (220) and total scoring (831).
Charnelle Reed of St. Francis (Ill.) and Miranda Palmer of Huntington (Ind.) both moved into the 1st Team after finishing last season as 2nd Team All-Americans. Nicki Monahan from IU Northwest (Ind.) and Tia King of IU East (Ind.) also made a jump this season into 2nd Team from 3rd in 2016.
For the second-straight season, Marian (Ind.) head coach Katie Gearlds was named the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year. Gearlds, who led the Knights to a repeat national championship, guided her program to a 35-3 season en route to their second-straight red banner. In the title game, No. 1 Marian knocked-off fellow No. 1 in Saint Xavier, 66-52.
| First Team: |
|
|
|
|
| Name |
School |
Position |
Class |
Hometown |
| Kara Krolicki |
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
G |
Jr. |
Mokena, Ill. |
| Charnelle Reed |
St. Francis (Ill.) |
G |
Sr. |
Chicago Heights, Ill. |
| Miranda Palmer |
Huntington (Ind.) |
G |
Sr. |
Arcadia, Ohio |
| Jessica Almeida |
Marian (Ind.) |
G |
Sr. |
Lisbon, Portugal |
| Hanah Barnard |
Doane (Neb.) |
G |
Sr. |
Beatrice, Neb. |
| Kassidy DeJong |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
G |
So. |
Hospers, Iowa |
| Shann Sellers |
Friends (Kan.) |
G |
Sr. |
Dalls, Texas |
| Bailey Hooker |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
G |
Sr. |
Lutz, Fla. |
| Keanna Gary |
Indiana Tech |
C |
Jr. |
Fort Wayne, Ind. |
| April Watson |
Siena Heights (Mich.) |
C |
Sr. |
Detroit, Mich. |
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| Second Team: |
|
|
|
|
| Name |
School |
Position |
Class |
Hometown |
| Sarah Robinson |
Milligan (Tenn.) |
F |
So. |
Elizabethton, Tenn. |
| Nicki Monahan |
IU Northwest (Ind.) |
G |
Sr. |
Portage, Ind. |
| Autumn Durand |
Southern Oregon |
F |
Sr. |
Onalaska, Wash. |
| Maya Ah You |
Eastern Oregon |
G |
Jr. |
Middleton, Idaho |
| Cassidy Deno |
Purdue Northwest (Ind.) |
G |
Sr. |
Otterbein, Ind. |
| Philomena Lammers |
Concordia (Neb.) |
C |
Fr. |
Omaha, Neb. |
| Ashley Bray |
Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) |
F |
Jr. |
Anoka, Minn. |
| Kyra Dewald |
Jamestown (N.D.) |
G |
Sr. |
Jamestown, N.D. |
| Tia King |
IU East (Ind.) |
G |
Jr. |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
| Christin Strawbridge |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
F |
Sr. |
Lakeland, Fla. |
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| Third Team: |
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|
|
|
| Name |
School |
Position |
Class |
Hometown |
| Kelsie Cleeton |
College of the Ozarks |
G |
So. |
Springfield, Mo. |
| Emily Moore |
Benedictine-Mesa (Ariz.) |
C |
Jr. |
River Heights, Utah |
| Mikayla Leyden |
Saint Xavier University (Ill.) |
G |
Sr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Jess Learned |
Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) |
F |
So. |
Washington, Ill. |
| Kendall Bradbury |
Taylor (Ind.) |
F |
So. |
Highlands Ranch, Co. |
| Kellie Kirkhoff |
Marian (Ind.) |
PG |
Jr. |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
| Lexi Ackerman |
Morningside (Iowa) |
G |
Sr. |
Rock Rapids, Iowa |
| Imani White |
Saint Mary (Kan.) |
G |
Sr. |
Omaha, Neb. |
| Megan Klein |
Dickinson State (N.D.) |
C |
Sr. |
Killdeer, N.D. |
| Haley Cook |
Indiana Tech (Ind.) |
G |
Jr. |
Noblesville, Ind. |
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| Honorable Mention: |
|
|
|
|
| Name |
School |
Position |
Class |
Hometown |
| Aujanay Chambers |
Antelope Valley (Calif.) |
G |
Sr. |
Fullerton, Calif. |
| Brittany Warren |
Asbury (Ky.) |
G |
Sr. |
Science Hill, Ky. |
| Maranda Huibregtse |
Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) |
G |
Jr. |
Oostburg, Wis. |
| Cassidy Johnson |
College of the Ozarks |
G |
So. |
West Plains, Mo. |
| Kari Borowiak |
Concordia (Mich.) |
G |
Jr. |
Gaylord, Mich. |
| Mary Janovich |
Concordia (Neb.) |
G |
Jr. |
Gretna, Neb. |
| Quinn Wragge |
Concordia (Neb.) |
F |
So. |
Crofton, Neb. |
| Maddey Pflaumer |
Corban (Ore.) |
F |
Fifth Year |
Issaquah, Wash. |
| Jesse Sheridan |
Cornerstone (Mich.) |
G |
So. |
Argyle, Texas |
| Erica Herrold |
Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) |
F |
Sr. |
Dimock, S.D. |
| Sophia Sears |
Goshen (Ind.) |
PG |
Sr. |
Paoli, Ind. |
| Kelsey Key |
Indiana Wesleyan |
G |
Sr. |
Anderson, Ind. |
| Deja Felder |
IU Kokomo (Ind.) |
G |
Jr. |
Goshen, Ind. |
| McCorra Ford |
Johnson & Wales (Co.) |
G |
Sr. |
Gillette, Wyo. |
| Karlie Steinle |
Kansas Wesleyan |
G |
Sr. |
Wilson, Kan. |
| Michele Hayes |
Madonna (Mich.) |
G |
Sr. |
Inkster, Mich. |
| Becca Sabol |
Madonna (Mich.) |
F |
Jr. |
Shelby Township, Mich. |
| Andi Gayner |
Mayville State (N.D.) |
F |
Jr. |
Dassel, Minn. |
| Joelle Overkamp |
Midland (Neb.) |
F |
Jr. |
Papillion, Neb. |
| Madison Braun |
Morningside (Iowa) |
G |
Jr. |
Bellevue, Neb. |
| Morgan Roberts-Ili |
Oregon Tech |
PG |
Sr. |
Wellington, New Zealand |
| Rebecca Cheeks |
Reinahrdt (Ga.) |
F |
Fr. |
Ranger, Ga. |
| Candy De Los Reyes |
Saint Mary (Kan.) |
G |
Jr. |
San Jose, Calif. |
| Brittany Collins |
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
C |
Jr. |
Des Plains, Ill. |
| Jordyn Miller |
Southwestern (Kan.) |
F |
Jr. |
Wichita, Kan. |
| Jordan Giddings |
St. Francis (Ill.) |
C |
Sr. |
Rock Falls, Ill. |
| Supavadee Kunchuan |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
F |
Sr. |
Bangkok, Thailand |
| Tena Loewen |
Tabor (Kan.) |
F |
Sr. |
Hillsboro, Kan. |
| Courtney Danna |
UC Merced (Calif.) |
G |
Sr. |
San Jose, Calif. |
| Lexi Lennon |
Valley City State (N.D.) |
G |
Jr. |
West Fargo, N.D. |