March 15, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt senior guard Jence Rhoads and redshirt freshman center Stephanie Holzer were recognized by the SEC media on Tuesday with the release of the 2011 Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference women’s basketball team.
Rhoads was named second team All-SEC for the second year in a row by the media and Holzer earned honorable mention All-SEC. The honors come on the heels of Rhoads being selected first team All-SEC by the league’s head coaches on March 1 and Holzer being tabbed as an SEC All-Freshman and the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year.
Unlike the coaches’ All-SEC team that recognizes eight student-athletes on its first and second teams, the AP selects just five players on its first two teams and eight to its honorable mention squad.
A native of Slippery Rock, Pa., Rhoads leads Vanderbilt in scoring (11.9 per game), steals (1.07), assists (4.78) and average minutes played (35.4). Rhoads also ranks fourth on the team in rebounding (5.0).
The 5-foot-11 guard also eclipsed 1,000 career points this season and became the only player in school history with 1,100 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds.
Holzer was one of eight players to earn honorable mention accolades from the AP. The 6-foot-4 post player ranked fourth on the team in scoring (11.1), while leading the team in blocks (1.4) and ranking second in rebounds (6.1). Her numbers have come in just 18.7 minutes per game.
Also a native of the Keystone State, Holzer hails from Newtown Square, Pa. She joins Tennessee’s Meighan Simmons as the only two freshmen to earn SEC honors from the league’s media. Simmons was selected to the second team.
Holzer has four double-doubles this season and has topped 20-plus points on four occasions. She ranked second in the SEC among freshmen in scoring and first in rebounding and blocked shots.
The Commodores earned their 12th straight bid to the NCAA Tournament on Monday and will play seventh-seeded Louisville at 11:10 a.m. CT on Sunday in Cincinnati.
With LSU not making the field of 64 this year, Vanderbilt is now just one of eight teams to make the tournament each of the last 12 years. Vanderbilt is also one of five teams to win at least one game in the Big Dance each of the last 11 years.
FIRST TEAM
u-Victoria Dunlap, Kentucky, F, 6-1, Sr.
Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee, G-F, 6-2, Jr.
Tierney Jenkins, Alabama, F, 6-0, Sr.
Porsha Phillips, Georgia, F, 6-2, Sr.
Glory Johnson, Tennessee, F, 6-3, Jr.
SECOND TEAM
Jence Rhoads, Vanderbilt, G, 5-11, Sr.
Meighan Simmons, Tennessee, G, 5-9, Fr.
C’eira Ricketts, Arkansas, G, 5-9, Jr.
LeSondra Barrett, LSU, F, 6-2, Jr.
Kayla Melson, Mississippi, G, 5-8, Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
A’dia Mathies, Kentucky, G, 5-9, So.
Jasmine James, Georgia, G, 5-9, So.
Alli Smalley, Auburn, G, 5-8, Sr.
Sarah Watkins, Arkansas, C, 6-3, So.
Angie Bjorklund, Tennessee, G-F, 6-0, Sr.
Stephanie Holzer, Vanderbilt, C, 6-4, Fr.
Ieasia Walker, South Carolina, G, 5-8, So.
Adrienne Webb, LSU, G, 5-9, So.
(u-unanimous choice to first team)