TCU Holds End of Season Banquet
4/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Photo Gallery | Highlight VideoFORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU women's basketball team hosted its 2014-15 End of Season Banquet at the Dee J. Kelly Alumni and Visitors Center on Wednesday evening to celebrate the program's accomplishments.
The Horned Frogs enjoyed a memorable season, setting a program record with nine Big 12 victories under first-year head coach Raegan Pebley to earn the No. 3 seed at the Big 12 Championship, while posting their first postseason victory since 2008 in the opening round of the WNIT.
"Our banquet is a great chance to celebrate the growth and accomplishments of our team, as well as our seniors," Pebley said. "We are so grateful for those who went on this journey with our team this year, a few of which we were able to honor as well tonight."
Junior guard Zahna Medley was named the team's Most Valuable Player after garnering First-Team All-Big 12 honors for the second-straight season. The Springfield, Ill., native led the Horned Frogs in scoring with 15.6 points per game and set a TCU single-season record in free-throw percentage (.879).
Veja Hamilton earned the team's Offensive Player of the Year honor after a breakout season that saw the junior guard garner All-Big 12 Second-Team accolades. Hamilton averaged 11.3 points per game, scoring in double figures in 18 contests after entering the season with just 10-career double-digit performances. The Spring, Texas, product connected on a team-best 161 field goals, which ranks as the 10th-most in single-season history.
Chelsea Prince earned the team's Defensive Player of the Year and Iron Frog awards following a senior campaign that saw the Fort Worth native collect Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year accolades and set the TCU single-season steals record with 103. Prince set single-season career highs in points (341), points per game (10.7), minutes (1,033), made field goals (115), field-goal percentage (.432), made 3-pointers (37), 3-point percentage (.349), made free-throws (74), free-throw percentage (.822), rebounds per game (6.1), assists (66), blocks (21) and steals (103), and closes her career ranking third all-time with 237 steals.
Prince and fellow seniors Donielle Breaux and Natalie Ventress leave their mark on the program, combining for 328 games played and 221 starts in the Purple and White with 2,853 points, 1,295 rebounds, 499 steals, 453 assists and 330 3-pointers.
Sophomore Jada Butts and senior Donielle Breaux earned the Janice Dziuk Award for Toughness and Perseverance, while Butts was also named the Most Improved Player. Butts averaged 5.1 points per game following a season-ending knee injury and rattled off a career-best 21 points to help lead TCU to its postseason win over Stephen F. Austin.
Breaux averaged 7.9 points per game and ranked second on the team in steals (48) and third in assists (64). The Missouri City, Texas, native set single-season career highs in field-goal percentage (.373), free throws (55), free-throw percentage (.786), rebounds (150) and points (252).
Assistant athletic trainer Valerie Tinklepaugh-Hairston was the recipient of the inaugural Rylan Macomb Super Hero Award, while one of the program's top supporters, Katherine Knapp, was presented the Frog Family Fan Appreciation Award.
2014-15 TCU Women's Basketball Team Awards
Janice Dziuk Award for Toughness and Perseverance: Jada Butts & Donielle Breaux
Academic Excellence Award: Caitlin Diaz
Iron Frog Award: Chelsea Prince
Most Improved Player of the Year: Jada Butts
Offensive Player of the Year: Veja Hamilton
Defensive Player of the Year: Chelsea Prince
Most Valuable Player of the Year: Zahna Medley
CLIMB Award: Natalie Ventress
Rylan Macomb Super Hero Award: Valerie Tinklepaugh-Hairston
Frog Family Fan Appreciation Award: Katherine Knapp
