Seniors earn top YSU basketball awards

YOUNGSTOWN — Three Youngstown State senior women’s basketball players earned the top awards at the team’s banquet Sunday in Kilcawley Center.

Nikita LaFleur was named the Most Improved Player, Kelsey Gurganus earned the Penguin Award and Velissa Vaughn was recognized as the Academic All-Star.

The banquet recognized all 13 players on the 2008-09 squad, particularly the six seniors.

LaFleur established career highs in nearly every category this season. She led the Penguins in scoring (8.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 rpg), and her 55 percent field-goal shooting was the seventh-best in school history. She more than doubled her scoring total from her first three seasons combined.

Gurganus earned the Penguin Award for her leadership, commitment to the team, program and university, and her role as a coach on the floor. She was the only player to start every game and averaged 6.9 points per game.

Vaughn has a cumulative 3.49 grade-point average, which is the highest among the six seniors.

Coach Cindy Martin also recognized the seniors for their leadership in community service. The women’s basketball team was honored earlier in the week for community service by the Horizon League.

Volleyball

Many individuals showed improvement throughout the spring as the volleyball team competed in four tournaments.

The Penguins went 18-14 in tournaments at Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Duquesne and Cincinnati.

“It was one of our most successful springs as far as winning sets since I arrived,” said coach Joe Bonner.

Dani Soubliere was the lone setter on the squad during the spring, and, according to Bonner, gained valuable experience running the offense. Soubliere missed the fall season with a knee injury.

Bonner also praised the efforts of junior defensive specialist Laurie Shives, sophomore outside hitter Brittany Grove and junior middle hitter Haley Kapferer.

The volleyball program will hold two camps in July — team camps on July 10-12 and July 17-19 and a skills camp July 14-16.