April 11, 2007
SAN DIEGO - Freshman guard Quenese Davis (Sacramento, Calif.) has been named the San Diego State women's basketball team MVP for the 2006-07 season, head coach Beth Burns announced at the Aztecs' annual year-end banquet at Cox Arena on Wednesday evening.
Davis led the Mountain West Conference in assists per game both overall (5.32) and in league-only (5.25) outings, ranking 24th nationally and first among freshmen. She was also fourth in the conference in steals (1.96/g) and 15th in free-throw percentage (66.7). Davis averaged a team-best 9.7 points per game in league contests and scored in double-figures a team-high 17 times. Ten of her 10-plus point games came against MWC foes, including in each of SDSU's five MWC wins. Her 149 assists are the most by an Aztec since 1999-2000.
The team's best defensive player award went to junior Shanna Demus (Palmdale, Calif.). Demus was an honorable mention all-league choice, leading the team in steals with 60, which ranked her third in the MWC. She tallied four or more steals on six occasions, including six apiece in victories over Pepperdine and Colorado State.
Sophomore LaSandra Dixon (Azusa, Calif.) was named most improved player, while classmate Tamika Lipford (Oceanside, Calif.) garnered the Tammy Blackburn Coaches Award for her contributions to the team both on the court and in the classroom.
Seven Aztecs received academic awards for recording a GPA of 3.0 or better, including Dixon, who shared most improved scholar-athlete honors with junior Jennifer Layton (Sacramento, Calif.).
The banquet was a special night for SDSU's two graduating seniors, Erin Jackson (Sparks, Nev.) and Desiree Johnson (Kahuku, Hawaii), who each received a framed copy of their game jersey.
2006-07 Aztec Basketball Banquet Award Winners
Most Valuable Player - Quenese Davis
Best Defensive Player - Shanna Demus
Most Improved Player - LaSandra Dixon
Tammy Blackburn/Coaches Award - Tamika Lipford
Scholar-Athlete Awards (SDSU GPA above 3.0)
Kate Eveland, Erin Jackson, Desiree Johnson, Tamika Lipford, Jenn Rogers, Kim Spinardi, LaSandra Dixon
Most Improved Scholar-Athletes
LaSandra Dixon, Jennifer Layton
Senior Awards
Desiree Johnson, Erin Jackson
MWC Statistical Leaders
Desiree Johnson (blocked shots), Quenese Davis (assists)