SPOKANE (Mar. 9) -- Central Washington University sophomore Sophie Russell (Olympia/River Ridge HS) has been named to the 2009-10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's basketball all-conference team, earning honorable mention honors, the conference office announced Tuesday.

Russell is the lone Wildcat represented on the 16-member all-conference teams, which include six first-team, five second-team, and five honorable mention selections.

As a sophomore, Russell led Central Washington in scoring with 13.9 points per game and was the team's third-leading rebounder with 4.5 boards per contest. She was one of three Wildcats to start all 26 games this season, and finished as the GNAC leader in minutes played with an average of 34.2 minutes per contest.

Russell led the Wildcats in scoring in 13 of their 26 games, and had 10 or more points on 20 occasions in her first season as a starter. She capped her sophomore campaign with a 20-point outing against Montana State Billings, helping Central defeat the Yellowjackets, 64-60, last Saturday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

Earning specialty awards from the conference were Daesha Henderson of Seattle Pacific, who was named the GNAC Player of the Year, Kelsie Gourdin of Alaska Anchorage and Sarah McNamee of Montana State Billings, who shared Newcomer of the Year honors, and Heather Adams of Northwest Nazarene as the Freshman of the Year. Seattle Pacific head coach Julie van Beek was named the GNAC Coach of the Year.

Central Washington finished the 2009-10 season with a 7-19 overall record and tied for seventh in the GNAC standings at 4-12. The Wildcats lose four seniors to graduation.

2009-10 GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
First Team
Lindsay Brady, Sr., Northwest Nazarene; Amanda Dunbar, Jr., Western Washington; *+Daesha Henderson, Sr., Seattle Pacific; Nicci Miller, Sr., Alaska Anchorage; Jessica Summers, Sr., Western Washington; *Katie Torland, Sr., Western Oregon.

+ Unanimous ... * Repeater

Second Team
Willow Cabe, Sr., Western Washington; Tamar Gruwell, Sr., Alaska Anchorage; Megan Hoisington, Sr., Seattle Pacific; Kayla Ryan, Jr., Montana State Billings; Dara Zack, Jr., Saint Martin's.

Honorable Mention
Kelsie Gourdin, Jr., Alaska Anchorage; Kristin Hein, Sr., Northwest Nazarene; Hanna Johansson, So., Alaska Anchorage; Janee Olds, Sr., Northwest Nazarene; SOPHIE RUSSELL, SO., CENTRAL WASHINGTON.

Player of the Year: Daesha Henderson, Sr., Seattle Pacific
Co-Newcomer of the Year: Kelsie Gourdin, Jr., Alaska Anchorage and Sarah McNamee, Jr., Montana State Billings
Freshman of the Year: Heather Adams, Northwest Nazarene
Coach of the Year: Julie van Beek, Seattle Pacific