March 6, 2003

Nashville, Tenn. (March 6, 2003) - Southeast Missouri State Otahkian junior guard Kenja White has been named the Ohio Valley Conference's Newcomer of the Year as voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors. White earns the award in its inaugural season.

White led Southeast in scoring this season with a 13.6 per game mark. She had seven 20 plus point performances including a career high 26 points against Indiana State. She won the leagues Newcomer of the Week award three times, helping Southeast garner the award eight of the twelve weeks it was given out.

Senior forward Lori Chase was named to the All-OVC Second Team. She finished off her stellar four-year career by moving into third place all time in scoring at Southeast with 1,470 career points to date. She is also sixth in career three-pointers with 64. White and junior forward Carina Souza were both named Honorable Mention All-OVC.

Austin Peay senior guard Brooke Armistead was named the Player of the Year in the Conference while her coach, Susie Gardner, was named OVC Coach of the Year. Joining Armistead on the league's first team were teammate Gerlonda Hardin, Tennessee-Martin's Amy Watson, Eastern Kentucky's Teresa McNair and Morehead State's Travece Turner.

The league's second team consisted of Chase, Eastern Kentucky's Katie Kelly, Morehead State's Kandi Brown, Murray State's Beth Schnakenberg, and Tennessee Tech's Emily Christian. Christian was also named the league's Freshman of the Year.

Joining White and Souza on the Honorable Mention team is Eastern Illinois' Lauren Dailey, Morehead State's Tasha Gales, and Eastern Kentucky's Miranda Eckerlee.

Southeast will play in the semis of the OVC Tournament tomorrow at 2 p.m. against the Golden Eaglettes of Tennessee Tech. The games will be played at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville.