First Team
Lily Grenci, Mars (SR): The former Student-Athlete of the Week averaged 23.7 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Fighting Planets during the regular season. She is also the only ever in school history -- boys or girls -- with 1,000-plus points (1,718) and rebounds (over 1,100) in her career. She has signed with Siena.
Destiny Brown, Gateway (FR): She averaged over 20 points per game in the WPIAL's highest classification as a freshman, and she is already regarded by some as the best pure shooter in the area. Even more so, she has already been offered a scholarship to Rutgers.
Emily Miller, Mt. Lebanon (SR): She was the best player on the area's best team, and she always stepped up in big games. She averaged 20 points per game during the PIAA playoffs, including 21 in the title game, helping to carry the Blue Devils to a perfect season at 31-0. She will attend either Vanderbilt or Virginia, but won't be playing basketball, due to a chronic back injury.
Markel Walker, Schenley (SR): She was the cover girl for the January/February issue of ESPN Rise magazine, and was the leading scorer in all of western PA, averaging 26.2 points per game for the Spartans. Plus, the only she may like to do more than score is pass, dishing out seven assists per game. She is packing up her game and heading out west with a scholarship to UCLA.
Emily Correal, Peters Township (SR): This 6'3" forward averaged 21.6 points per game for the Indians, who earned a trip to the WPIAL AAAA playoffs. She has signed with William & Mary.
Second Team
Carly Vendemia, Beaver Area (SR): She was the third leading scorer in the WPIAL at 23.4 points per game, along with 13 rebounds. She finished her career as the school's all-time leading scorer (1,664 points), and helped lead the Bobcats to a 23-3 overall record and a WPIAL AA Section 2 title. She is on her way to play for Suzie McConnell-Serio at Duquesne University.
Jocelyn Floyd, Washington (SR): This 5'8" guard/forward did a little bit of everything for the Little Prexies, including scoring nearly 21 points a game. An undefeated section record and WPIAL AA Section 5 title were the result of it. She has signed with Duquesne.
Lauren Savulchak, North Catholic (SR): The leading scorer (18.6) and rebounder (8.2) for the WPIAL Class AA champion Lady Trojans scored her 1,000th career point during the league quarterfinals, and finished with 1,118 for her career. She plans to play basketball in college, but has not yet decided where.
Kat Owunna, Mt. Alvernia (SR): This 6'0" center was the centerpiece of the Lions this season as their leading scorer (16.1), rebounder, and shot-blocker. In the WPIAL A championship loss to North Catholic, she scored 14 points with 16 rebounds and six blocks.
Devin McGrath, Our Lady of Sacred Heart (SR): This four-year starter averaged 21 points per game for the Chargers, helping them get to the WPIAL AA playoffs. She finished her career with 1,667 points and 89 wins. She has not yet announced her future plans.
Third Team
Belma Nurkc, Baldwin (SO): This Bosnian import is a 5'8" guard/forward who averaged 19 points in each of her first two seasons. She had a 40-point game and a 35-point game this season, and was a key contributor to the Highlanders' 17-8 record and WPIAL AAAA playoff berth. Expect to hear more from her in the next two seasons.
Olivia Bresnahan, Butler (JR): She averaged 18.7 points per game for the Golden Tornadoes, who averaged 60.6 points per game and finished with a perfect 12-0 record in the WPIAL AAAA Section 3.
Marisa Wolfe, Fort City (SR): She's a 6'3" forward who was one of the area's most dominating players in the low blocks during her career. She averaged 18.1 points per game for the Sabers, who won a section title and finished 20-3 overall. She has signed with Penn State.
Kerry Connolly, Sto-Rox (SR): She was a four-year starter at point guard for the Lady Vikings who finished with over 1,000 career points and averaged 15.4 this year. Her 27-point average over a three-game span during the stretch run helped propel her team into the WPIAL AA playoffs, and eventually to the league championship.
Jacqi Diez, St. Joseph (JR): Despite the fact that the Spartans finished a disappointing 10-12 this season, this 5'7" guard had an amazing season as the WPIAL's leading scorer (25.9 PPG). She has over 1,300 points so far in her career, and is likely to break the school record of 1,700-plus next season.
End of the Year Awards
Player of the Year: Markel Walker. Even though her Spartans lost the City League title game to perennial playoff rival Westinghouse, no one player meant more to her team's success than Walker as a scorer and distributor to help her teammates succeed. She was selected to the McDonald's All-American girls basketball game, where she scored four points with six rebounds for the East team. (Honorable Mention: Emily Miller, Lily Grenci)
Defensive Player of the Year: Kat Owunna. There are often girls that are dominating players on the offensive side of the ball, but very few that change the game defensively. She is one of those very few, and she proved it continually both on the defensive glass and with her ability to alter shots. (Honorable Mention: Chelsea Apke, Mt. Lebanon)
Rookie of the Year: Destiny Brown. This was a no-brainer. She is already one of the best players in the area and still has three years left. With her work ethic and ability, she could be mentioned among the best ever to play in western PA by the time she graduates.
Coach of the Year: Dori Oldaker, Mt. Lebanon. Her intensity, basketball IQ, and motivational ability are reminiscent of another successful state championship coach: McConnell-Serio at Oakland Catholic. With the crop of young talent she has returning for the Blue Devils next season, she just might build just as impressive a coaching resume.
Team of the Year: Mt. Lebanon. When you win 31 straight games without a player averaging more than 12 points per game, and allow only 35 on defense per game, you have something special. They won the state title game over a Cardinal O'Hara team that featured a starting lineup of NCAA Division I recruits, a handful of all-state players and the Gatorade Player of the Year. Their wire-to-wire undefeated championship run has been done only once before (Mt. Alvernia, 1983), and they have the talent to possibly do it again.
