March 3, 2006

DALLAS -- Sherri Coale (Oklahoma) was chosen Big 12 Coach of the Year while Sophia Young (Baylor) was honored as Big 12 Player of the Year, highlighting the 2005-06 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Conference Women's Basketball Awards.

Whitney Pegram (Oklahoma State) was voted Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Courtney Paris (Oklahoma) earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Paris and Abiola Wabara (Baylor) tied for Big 12 Defensive Players of the Year. The awards were voted on by the league's head coaches, with coaches not allowed to vote for their own players.

Coale, in her 10th season as head coach of the Sooners, led Oklahoma to a perfect 16-0 mark in conference play to become the league's first women's basketball team to complete the Big 12 season undefeated. OU is currently 26-4 on the year and ranked No. 9 nationally in both polls. Coale earned her third Big 12 Coach of the Year honor as the Sooners won their fourth Big 12 regular season title.

Young became the Big 12's all-time leading rebounder this season and is only three points shy of becoming the conference's career scoring leader. She currently has 1,255 rebounds and 2,331 points. She needs eight assists to become one of only four players in NCAA Division I history to tally 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 steals and 300 assists. Young also holds the top spot in Big 12 career double-doubles. The 6-1 senior forward leads the Big 12 in both overall and conference-only scoring with 21.7 ppg and 22.5 ppg, respectively. She is third in both season and league rebounding with 9.9 rpg for the season and 10.1 rpg in Big 12 play.

Pegram, a 6-4 junior center, is second in the Big 12 in blocks with 69 for a 2.56 per game average. She set Oklahoma State's record for single-season blocked shots. Pegram averages a team-leading 14.3 points, good for 12th in the conference and is also 12th in field goal percentage, connecting on 45.9 percent of her attempts.

Paris averages 20.9 points and 14.8 rebounds for the season and 22.5 ppg and 15.0 boards in Big 12 play. She leads the league in both rebounding categories and is second in both scoring categories. She has earned a Big 12-record 11 weekly honors this season and was the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's December Co-Player of the Month. The 6-4 rookie center is the first player in Big 12 history to record 600 points and 400 rebounds in a season. Paris leads the Big 12 with 3.33 blocks per game and is two shy of setting the NCAA freshman single season blocks record. Paris has ecorded a Big 12 single-season record 27 double-doubles, including 22 straight. Both marks lead the NCAA.

Junior 6-0 forward Wabara draws the assignment of guarding Baylor opponents' top offensive player. She has a quick first step and can guard any position. Wabara averages 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds. She leads BU with 37 blocks, which is 10th in the Big 12, and also has 34 steals and 44 assists.

2005-06 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards
Coach of the Year: Sherri Coale, Oklahoma
Player of the Year: Sophia Young, Baylor
Newcomer of the Year: Whitney Pegram, Oklahoma State (C, 6-4, Jr, Silver Lake, Kan./Seward County)
Freshman of the Year: Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
Defensive Player of the Year: (tie) Abiola Wabara, Baylor and Courtney Paris, Oklahoma

All-Big 12 First Team (alphabetical by school)

Player, School	School	Pos	Ht	Cl	Hometown
Sophia Young	Baylor	F	6-1	Sr	St. Vincent, The Grenadines
Lyndsey Medders	Iowa State	G	5-9	Jr	Los Angeles, Calif.
Crystal Kemp	Kansas	F	6-2	Sr	Topeka, Kan.
LaToya Bond	Missouri	G	5-7	Sr	Urbana, Ill.
Kiera Hardy	Nebraska	G	5-6	Jr	Kansas City, Mo.
Courtney Paris	Oklahoma	C	6-4	Fr	Piedmont, Calif.
Tiffany Jackson	Texas	F	6-3	Jr	Dallas, Texas
Morenike Atunrase	Texas A&M;	G/F	5-10	So	Shreverport, La.
LaToya Davis	Texas Tech	F/C	6-1	Sr	Houston, Texas
Erin Grant	Texas Tech	G	5-8	Sr	Arlington, Texas
All-Big 12 Second Team (alphabetical by school)
Player, School	School	Pos	Ht	Cl	Hometown
Angela Tisdale	Baylor	G	5-5	So	Austin, Texas
Jackie McFarland	Colorado	F	6-3	So	Derby, Kan.
Claire Coggins	Kansas State	G/F	5-11	Jr	Lee's Summit, Mo.
Christelle N'Garsanet	Missouri	C	6-3	Sr	Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Africa
Leah Rush	Oklahoma	F	6-1	Jr	Amarillo, Texas
Nina Norman	Texas	G	5-8	Sr	Houston, Texas

(tie in voting)

All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (alphabetical by school)
Chameka Scott and Abiola Wabara (Baylor), Brittany Wilkins (Iowa State), Erica Hallman (Kansas), Carlynn Savant (Missouri), Kelsey Griffin (Nebraska), Britney Brown, Erin Higgins and Chelsi Whelch (Oklahoma), Whitney Pegram (Oklahoma State), A'Quonesia Franklin (Texas A&M;), Alesha Robertson (Texas Tech)

Big 12 All-Defensive Team (alphabetical by school)

Player	School	Pos	Ht	Cl	Hometown
Abiola Wabara	Baylor	F	6-0	Jr	Parma, Italy
Sophia Young	Baylor	F	6-1	Sr	St. Vincent, The Grenadines
EeTisha Riddle	Missouri	F	6-3	Jr	O'Fallon, Ill.
LaToya Bond	Missouri	G	5-7	Sr	Urbana, Ill.
Courtney Paris	Oklahoma	C	6-4	Fr	Piedmont, Calif.
Big 12 All-Rookie Team (alphabetical by school)
Player	School	Pos	Ht	Cl	Hometown
Marlies Gipson	Kansas State	F	6-0	Fr	McPherson, Kan.
Kelsey Griffin	Nebraska	F	6-2	Fr	Eagle River, Alaska
Courtney Paris	Oklahoma	C	6-4	Fr	Piedmont, Calif.
Takia Starks	Texas A&M;	G	5-8	Fr	Houston, Texas
Erika Arriaran	Texas	G	5-10	Fr	Norco, Calif.