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Abshaw Named Horizon League Freshman Of The Year

Abshaw Named Horizon League Freshman Of The Year
Posted: Mar 08, 2016

HORIZON LEAGUE AWARD SHOW VIDEO

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the first time since the 2012-13 season the Cleveland State women's basketball team has picked up a major postseason award from the Horizon League, as Ashanti Abshaw has been named the 2015-16 Horizon League Freshman of the Year. Along with freshman of the year honors, Abshaw also earned a spot on the All-Horizon League Second Team and Horizon League All-Freshman Team.

Abshaw is just the second Viking all-time to pick up Freshman of the Year honors, and is the first Viking to earn a spot on the All-League Second Team during their freshman/redshirt freshman season. The Cleveland Heights, Ohio native is also the ninth Viking all-time to earn a spot on the All-Freshman Team, and the fifth to earn the accolade under head coach Kate Peterson Abiad.

Entering the Horizon League Tournament, Abshaw has posted 468 points and 265 rebounds this season, both marking Cleveland State team-highs for the year. She ranks fourth in the Horizon League averaging 16.7 points per game and second in rebounding averaging 9.5 boards per game – and is one of just two league players to rank in the top-five in both categories.

Abshaw, who has started all 28 games averaging 31.3 minutes per contest, also leads the Vikings with a .401 clip from the field this season, and ranks second on the team with 60 steals along with 32 assists.

One of just two league players to notch 10 double-doubles on the season, Abshaw has posted double-digit points in all but two games this year, and has tallied double-digit rebounding performances 12 times. She has eclipsed the 20-point mark nine times, including a career-high 32-point performance at Northern Kentucky in the regular season finale. Earlier this season she grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds against Oakland and Milwaukee - marking the third-highest single-game total for a Cleveland State player over the last three seasons.

Entering the Horizon League Tournament, Abshaw holds five Cleveland State Freshman Class Records; scoring (468 points), rebounding (265 rebounds), field goals made (161), field goals attempted (401), and free throws attempted (164). She also ranks in the top-10 in a pair of Cleveland State Single-Season Record lists; rebounds (10th - 265) and defensive rebounds (8th – 191).

Abshaw was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week six times this year, becoming the first Viking over the last 13 seasons to earn six weekly accolades from the league in the same season.

2015-16 Horizon League Postseason Awards

First Team All-League
 Kim Demmings, Wright State – Sr.
Ruvanna Campbell, UIC – Sr.
Stephanie Kostowicz, Milwaukee – So.
Rosanna Reynolds, Detroit – Jr.
Christine Roush, Northern Kentucky – Sr. 

Second Team All-League
 Mehryn Kraker, Green Bay – Jr.
Ashanti Abshaw, Cleveland State – Fr.
Sarah Cash, Youngstown State – So.
Olivia Nash, Oakland – Sr.
Kaili Lukan, Green Bay – Sr. 

All-Freshman Team
 Ashanti Abshaw, Cleveland State
Taylor Jones, Oakland
Emily Vogelpohl, Wright State
Meredith Hamlet, Valparaiso
Molly Glick, Northern Kentucky 

All-Defensive Team
 Kaili Lukan, Green Bay – Sr.
Brooke Smith, Cleveland State – Jr.
Ruvanna Campbell, UIC – Sr.
Jessica Lindstrom, Green Bay – So.
Richelle van der Keijl, Wright State – Jr. 

Player of the Year: Kim Demmings, Wright State – Sr.
Coach of the Year: Kyle Rechlicz, Milwaukee
Freshman of the Year: Ashanti Abshaw, Cleveland State
Defensive Player of the Year: Kaili Lukan, Green Bay – Sr.
Sixth Person of the Year: Brianne Cohen, Detroit – So.