Marquette University Athletics
Terri Mitchell Named BIG EAST Coach of the Year
3/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 2, 2007
HARTFORD, Conn. - Head coach Terri Mitchell and two Marquette women's basketball players were honored by the BIG EAST Conference Friday evening at the pre-tournament banquet at the Hilton Hotel in Hartford, Conn. Mitchell was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year, while senior Christina Quaye and sophomore Krystal Ellis were named to the All-BIG EAST First Team.
"I am very honored to be given this award," said Mitchell. "Several coaches were very deserving, but to be chosen means a lot to this program. I have an outstanding staff that I share this award with. Ultimately, it is about the players that have made this year so special."
Mitchell, in her 11th season as head coach, has guided the Golden Eagles to their best season ever with a 24-5 overall record and 12-4 BIG EAST mark. Marquette finished the regular season tied for second place in the conference and earned the no. 3 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament. After being picked eighth in the preseason poll, Marquette started the season winning 15 of its first 16 games, and jumped into the national polls for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Mitchell won her 200th career game at Oakland on December 9, 2006, and owns a 215-114 career record at Marquette.
This is Mitchell's first BIG EAST Coach of the Year honor. She earned similar accolades in Conference USA as she was named Conference USA's Coach of the Year back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000.
Ellis has had a stellar sophomore campaign as Marquette's floor general and leads the team in scoring with 18.2 points per game, a mark that is fourth on the BIG EAST scoring list and 34th nationally. She has led Marquette in 15 games this season, including a 29-point performance in Marquette's win at DePaul on Jan. 6. At the charity stripe Ellis has managed the second-best average in the conference, 87.5 percent, which also stands 14th in the nation. Not only can she score, she has proven she can defend as well registering one of the top-three steals per game marks in the conference, 2.31 spg. Ellis was a BIG EAST All-Rookie Team selection in 2006, and has been named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll six times for the season.
"Krystal's commitment and hard work has earned her the honor that is well deserved," said Mitchell. "She has stepped into a leadership position as a sophomore and our future is solid with Krystal at the point."
Quaye, a four-time BIG EAST Honor Roll selection, is second on the team in scoring with 16.7 points per game and team leader on the glass with 6.1 rebounds per game. Her 16.7 ppg scoring average ranks her eighth in the BIG EAST, while her 19.0 ppg in conference play is the tied for the third best scoring average in the league. Her field goal percentage (52.3) stands ninth in the league. Quaye has led Marquette on 12 different occasions and has 26 games of double figure scoring for the season. The Chicago native was a All-BIG EAST Second Team selection last season and an All-Conference USA Second Team Selection in 2005.
"The day she stepped on the court she made a difference and has continued to make a difference for four years," remarked Mitchell. "How appropriate as a senior to be honored as the one of the best in the BIG EAST that is one of the best conferences in the nation. I am so happy for her. Her leadership is the key to our post-season run."
It is the first time in program history to have two first team all-conference selections in a season.
The no. 3 seed Golden Eagles will get a first round bye and play the winner of the Cincinnati/Pittsburgh game at 8 p.m. ET, at the Hartford Civic Center on Sunday, March 4. The game will be telecast live on ESPNU with Nancy Lieberman and Beth Mowins calling all the action, and air on ESPN Radio 1510 Days/1290 Nights
