Lincoln's
Tim Abney named Heartland Conference Women's Coach Of The Year
March 15, 2003
San Antonio, TX - The Heartland Conference has announced the
2002-03 Heartland Conference Basketball Teams. Lincoln (MO)
University Head Women's Basketball Coach Tim Abney was named
the Heartland Conference Coach of the Year. Coach Abney has
made vast improvements to the Blue Tiger Women. Two years ago
Mr. Abney saw his team go 5-19, then last collected 10 wins
to go with 17 losses and this year guided the Blue Tigers to
13-15. Get your sunglasses ready, as Tim Abney only loss this
off-season is one senior with all starters retuning next year,
the future is looking bright for the LU women.
The Heartland Conference honored two of the Blue Tiger Women. Sophomore
Guard Rhonda John (Sangre Grande, Trinidad) earning first team membership
and Junior Forward Shara Tauai (Verona, MO) being selected to the second
team. On the men's side, Junior Guard Sean Briggs (Arlington, TN) made
second team and Freshman Forward Travis Backes received Honorable Mention.
Rhonda John lead the league in blocked shots on the season with 31 denials
and was second best in field goal percentage with 55.8% from the floor,
assists with 111 dishes and steals taking 90 away on the season. John also
put up big numbers in rebounds with 184 grabs and points per game with 11.9,
both second best on the team. Shara Tauai was leading scorer for the LU
women with 14 points a game, fourth in the HC. She also led the team in
rebounds with 222 boards, good enough for second best in the Heartland.
>From the floor Tauai shot 47.4% and from the free throw line Shara shot
80.5%, third best in the conference.
Sean Briggs earned second team All-Conference with 11.9 points a game, by
shooting 42.7% from the floor and 81.4 from the charity stripe. Briggs also
grabbed 24 steals on the season to go with 36 assists. Travis Backes in his
first collegiate season shot 39.5% from the field, 65.7% from the line while
averaging 15 minutes a game. Backes will definitely looks to be a force to
be reckoned with, in years to come.
