Women’s Basketball Announces 2008-09 Award Winners

Five Bulls honored for the season

Kourtney Brown

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women’s basketball team announced their 2008-09 award winners as the Bulls honored five players for their work on and off the court this season. Redshirt sophomore Kourtney Brown was honored as well as junior Dayna Smith, sophomore Bridgette Kendricks and freshmen Beth Christensen and Teresa Semalulu.

Dayna Smith

Brown picked up the Most Valuable Player award and the Most Improved Player award following her record-breaking season for the Bulls. Playing in her first season back from missing a full year due to a torn ACL, Brown led the team in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots. She was the only player in the Mid-American Conference to finish in the top four in all four of those categories. Brown also set the UB single-season scoring record with 532 points. Her 261 rebounds were also in the top 10 in school history and her 220 made field goals were the most in school history. She was named MAC East Player of the Week three times and was also named to the All-MAC Second Team, the Academic All-MAC Team and the Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team. She was also named to the all-tournament team of the Lady Pirate Invitational earlier in the season. Brown became the first UB player in nearly six years to record 30 points in a game as she had two 30-point games on the season, against the two division winners, Ball State and Bowling Green.

Bridgette Kendricks

Smith and Kendricks were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year as both of these players were instrumental in UB’s late-season success. Two of the most athletic players on the team, Smith and Kendricks helped fuel UB’s run into the MAC Tournament Semifinals. Smith started the final 22 games of the season for the Bulls and had 28 steals on the year. Always guarding the opponents number one scoring threat, Smith helped the Bulls allow just 69.8 points per game. When it was time for a breather, Kendricks entered the game as she helped contain the opposing team’s top player. Kendricks had 29 steals and six blocked shots on the year.

Beth Christensen

Christensen was given the team’s Academic Award for the 2008-09. Just a freshman, Christensen made an impact for the Bulls on the court and in the classroom. She saw action in all 32 games off the bench, averaging 2.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She also finished third on the team with 19 blocked shots. Off the court, she carries a 3.7 cumulative grade point average as she plans to major in biology.

Semalulu was given the team’s Pride Award, which encompasses all the aspects of the total team player. Although seeing action in just 14 games on the season, Semalulu was active for UB in the classroom and in the community participating in many different community service events. Semalulu was also one of the most active players on the UB bench during games and in practice. She had a career-high nine points and five rebounds in a win over Niagara early in the season.

Teresa Semalulu

The Bulls finished the season with an 8-24 mark, including 2-14 in the MAC, but did reach the Semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament before falling to the eventual MAC Champion, Ball State. The semifinal appearance was the first in school history.