Thomas Named WBCA Coaches' All-American
3/31/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 31, 2012
DENVER, Colo. - Sophomore Alyssa Thomas of the Maryland women's basketball team was named a Division I All-American Saturday by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. The honor is given to the nation's top 10 players.
Earlier this week, Thomas was named an AP First Team All-American and a USBWA All-American. She is the seventh Terrapin to be a State Farm WBCA All-American behind Marissa Coleman, Kristi Toliver, Crystal Langhorne, Deanna Tate, Vicky Bullett and Jasmina Perazic. Only Thomas and Langhorne were honored as sophomores.
Thomas is joined on the State Farm WBCA All-America Team by Elena Delle Donne (Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), Brittney Griner (Baylor), Glory Johnson (Tennessee), Shenise Johnson (Miami), Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford), Nneka Ogwumike (Stanford), Odyssey Sims (Baylor) and Bria Hartley (Connecticut).
Thomas led the ACC in scoring with 17.2 points per game - the second-best average among all Maryland sophomores. She finished the year among the best in the league with 8.0 rebounds per game, assists (3.2), free throw percentage (80.1) and defensive rebounds (5.5).
She was named to the NCAA Raleigh Regional All-Tournament Team Tuesday night after averaging 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in the Terps' NCAA Tournament run.
Thomas is just the second underclassman ever to be named ACC Player of the Year. She scored a career-high 29 points in the ACC title game to lead Maryland to its 10th league championship. She was named Tournament MVP and is only the seventh player, and first underclassman, to be named league Player of the Year and Tournament MVP in the same season.
Maryland (31-5) ended its season winning 10 of its last 11 games. The Terrapins won the program's 10th ACC title earlier this month and notched the fourth 30-win season in school history. They advanced to their ninth Elite Eight and fourth in head coach Brenda Frese's 10 years.
