Last Tuesday, two days before the USCAA Division I and Division II nationals officially tipped off, members of participating teams gathered for the 2016–17 USCAA basketball All-American and end-of-the-year awards. The ceremony, which was held at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Uniontown, Pa., recognized athletes from the 50-plus member schools of the USCAA.

The awards were broken into four different categories: All-Academic Team, Honorable Mention, Second Team and First Team. While the teams may not have fared as well as they would have liked, The Beacon would like to congratulate the three Seawolves who were acknowledged for their efforts on the court and in the classroom.

Vanese Barnes was selected to the All-Academic Team of the USCAA Division I squad. When asked to comment on this acknowledgment, assistant women’s basketball coach Patrick Haviland stated, “This is a great accomplishment for her; she embodies what it truly means to be a student athlete. Her success on and off the court defines what a lady Seawolf should be. Her leadership as one of our captains has grown immensely this year. This is only the beginning for a very bright, talented and gifted young lady.”

Lady Seawolf Jennifer Conrad was selected to the Honorable Mention team, joining Barnes as the two Lady Seawolf representatives. Katrina Bergeron, the Seawolves’ Head Basketball coach, summed up Conrad’s selection in these words:

“Jen being recognized is more than well deserved. Her stats on the floor speak for themselves, but Jen’s journey to those stats is what is most impressive. She is a mother of two, and to go back to school and try and get back into collegiate basketball shape is a triumph in its own right. To do it and be recognized as one of the best in the country is unbelievable. She led our team all season on the floor, and she currently has a 3.9 GPA.

“Not many would have noticed, but for the conference playoffs and the national tournament, Jen’s jersey was stitched together, as it was previous cut off her in her most recent trip to the emergency room due to an injury from a game. For Jen to go out in our first game and break two records and tie one was the cherry on top to a great last season for her. She will certainly be missed next season, but has left a wonderful legacy for future players to aspire to.”

On the men’s side of the awards, John Morgan was recognized for his effort on the court; he was named to the USCAA Division I First Team. Matt Richards, SMCC head men’s basketball coach, reflected on Morgan’s acknowledgment:

“John exemplifies what coming to SMCC and being part of our basketball program truly means. He was an overlooked high school player who had a great amount of determination and used that as motivation to develop himself in becoming one of the best players within our program over the past 14 years. His recognition as an USCAA All-American is a testament to that. I’m so proud of him.”

The Beacon would like to congratulate the above three Seawolves and both squads for the successful seasons they had.

By the Beacon Sports Staff