Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Celebrate Another Tremendous Season at Postseason Banquet
4/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Mount Pleasant, Mich. - The Central Michigan women's basketball program hosted friends, family and program supporters at its annual banquet last Friday to celebrate the 2013-14 season.
The Chippewas captured their first Mid-American Conference West Division title in program history under the guidance of head coach Sue Gueavara, racking up 20 wins and a postseason appearance for the fourth-straight season.
Led by a core of upperclassmen, the Maroon and Gold took on the daunted task of the toughest non-conference schedule in the country to prepare them for a season in which they finished 16-2 in conference play.
Junior Crystal Bradford was named the Chippewa Award winner as the team's most valuable player for the third-straight season. Bradford was named an All-MAC First-Team selection, the MAC Player of the Year, MAC Defensive Player of the Year and was a WBCA Region 4 All-American candidate for the second-straight year.
Bradford was also named the Chippewas' Defensive Player of the Year.
Redshirt freshman Jewel Cotton was awarded with the team's 'Most Improved Player' award for the second-straight season after posting a pair of double-figure scoring efforts and averaging 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in her debut season.
Senior Kylie Welch was given the program's Heart and Hustle Award for demonstrating tremendous passion and excitement for her teammates and the game of basketball. A team captain, the former walk-on proved her unselfish attitude, hard work and leadership provided a key element to the Chippewas' success in 2013-14.
Sophomore Chelsea Lynn received the Dee Pommerenk Award for explemifying a positive attitude, teamwork and willingness to contribute maximum effort regardless of ability or individual statistics.
Senior Niki DiGuilio once again was awarded the program's Academic Excellence Leadership Award for posting a 3.64 grade-point average as a biology/biomedical sciences major. DiGuilio will graduate in December.
Along with individual awards, DiGuilio, Bradford, senior Taylor Johnson and junior Jessica Green were awarded with commetorative basketballs to celebrate reaching 1,000 career points. CMU became the 12th program in NCAA history to feature four different 1,000-point scorers during the season.
