March 4, 2008

MACON, Ga. - Coming into this season, few people around the Atlantic Sun Conference and the nation knew much about Britteny Henderson or Greteya Kelley.

Well, people have heard of them now as the duo swept the league's top two postseason awards on Tuesday afternoon with Henderson being named the A-Sun's Women's Basketball Player of the Year and Kelley being tabbed Defensive Player of the Year.

Henderson, an All A-Sun First Team selection, finished third in the A-Sun in scoring (14.5 ppg), second in rebounding (9.0 rpg), second in field goal percentage (.552) and seventh in free throw percentage (.783), while leading Kennesaw State to its highest win total and best finish in the conference since becoming a member in 2005-06.

The junior forward posted 12 double-doubles in her first season with the Lady Owls, including six 20-plus point games. Henderson picked up her game with the start of conference play as she averaged 17.1 points and 9.8 boards per contest while helping the Black and Gold finish 11-5 in league action, three wins better than a year ago.

"Britteny is very deserving of the honor and it is nice to see her get rewarded for all the hard work she put in this season," said head coach Colby Tilley. "We certainly wouldn't have finished as well as we did without her. When we signed her we knew she could be great and it's just nice to see that they other coaches around the league recognized it as well."

Joining Henderson on the first team is Michele DeVault and Siarre Evans of ETSU and Ashley Williams and Virginia Gregoire of Jacksonville.

Booke Sunday (Belmont), Marlena Murppy (Campbell), Chelsea Dermyer (FGCU), Delia De La Torre (FGCU) and Margaret Roundtree (Gardner-Webb) all earned second team recognition.

Kelley also shined in her first season on the court for KSU after transferring from Appalachian State following her freshman year. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native ended the season with a league-best 106 steals, placing her fourth on the KSU single season list. Her average of 3.8 takeaways per game ranked fifth in the nation.

Thanks to Kelley's defensive prowess, the Lady Owls led the league and were tied for tenth in the country with 12.71 steals per game and were third in turnover margin at +3.64.

"Greteya has probably the quickest hands on the defensive end of any player I have ever coached," added Tilley. "For her to lead the league and be fifth in the nation is steals is a testimony to her desire to play hard defense. I am glad that others around the league felt that she was deserving of being named the A-Sun's best defensive player this season."

The Lady Owls finished their third transition season with a 16-12 overall record and will return all five starters next season.