Huskers Hand Out Awards, Honor Seniors at Annual Banquet
The Nebraska women's basketball team celebrated the careers of four outstanding seniors while gathering to remember a successful season at the annual awards banquet at Lincoln Station on Thursday, April 9.
Approximately 300 family and friends of the Husker program cheered Nebraska's four seniors - Emily Cady, Brandi Jeffery, Tear'a Laudermill and Hailie Sample - for one last time together. The quartet finished their careers with a school-record 96 wins while becoming the first class in NU history to lead the Big Red to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and four straight 20-win seasons.
Cady, a 6-2 forward from Seward, Neb., was recognized as a four-time All-Big Ten selection, including a pair of second-team honors as a junior and senior. She also earned the team's Husker Award for her leadership throughout the season.
Laudermill, a 5-9 guard from Moreno Valley, Calif., was a two-time All-Big Ten choice on the court, including second-team honors as a junior in 2013-14 and honorable-mention accolades as a senior. She claimed Nebraska's Defensive MVP award after leading NU with 45 steals as a senior.
Sample, a 6-1 senior forward from Flower Mound, Texas, claimed the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. She also delivered the invocation at the event.
Jeffery, a 5-7 guard from Vacherie, La., claimed Nebraska's Kathy Branchaud Most Improved Rebounder Award by increasing her rebounding average by 4.8 boards per game. The 5-7 Jeffery finished the 2014-15 season averaging 6.7 rebounds per game, after grabbing just 1.9 rebounds per game in 2013-14.
Junior point guard Rachel Theriot earned Nebraska's Offensive MVP award despite missing the final 11 games of the 2014-15 campaign with an ankle injury. Theriot averaged team bests of 16.5 points and 5.2 assists per game while leading NU to a 17-4 start to the season. A preseason candidate for the Wade, Naismith and Wooden National Player-of-the-Year awards, Theriot earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2015, despite missing more than half of the conference season. She was a first-team All-Big Ten choice and honorable-mention Associated Press All-American as a sophomore in 2013-14.
Freshman guard Emily Wood captured Nebraska's Teammate Award. The 5-5 walk-on from Salina, Kan., competed in 10 games as a freshman, including NU's Big Ten Tournament games against Illinois and Iowa.
2015 Team Awards
Offensive MVP - Rachel Theriot
Defensive MVP - Tear'a Laudermill
Kathy Branchaud Most Improved Rebounder Award - Brandi Jeffery
Husker Award - Emily Cady
Teammate Award - Emily Wood
Most Dedicated Practice Player -Jacob Birch
The Nebraska women's basketball team celebrated the careers of four outstanding seniors while gathering to remember a successful season at the annual awards banquet at Lincoln Station on Thursday, April 9.
Approximately 300 family and friends of the Husker program cheered Nebraska's four seniors - Emily Cady, Brandi Jeffery, Tear'a Laudermill and Hailie Sample - for one last time together. The quartet finished their careers with a school-record 96 wins while becoming the first class in NU history to lead the Big Red to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and four straight 20-win seasons.
Cady, a 6-2 forward from Seward, Neb., was recognized as a four-time All-Big Ten selection, including a pair of second-team honors as a junior and senior. She also earned the team's Husker Award for her leadership throughout the season.
Laudermill, a 5-9 guard from Moreno Valley, Calif., was a two-time All-Big Ten choice on the court, including second-team honors as a junior in 2013-14 and honorable-mention accolades as a senior. She claimed Nebraska's Defensive MVP award after leading NU with 45 steals as a senior.
Sample, a 6-1 senior forward from Flower Mound, Texas, claimed the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. She also delivered the invocation at the event.
Jeffery, a 5-7 guard from Vacherie, La., claimed Nebraska's Kathy Branchaud Most Improved Rebounder Award by increasing her rebounding average by 4.8 boards per game. The 5-7 Jeffery finished the 2014-15 season averaging 6.7 rebounds per game, after grabbing just 1.9 rebounds per game in 2013-14.
Junior point guard Rachel Theriot earned Nebraska's Offensive MVP award despite missing the final 11 games of the 2014-15 campaign with an ankle injury. Theriot averaged team bests of 16.5 points and 5.2 assists per game while leading NU to a 17-4 start to the season. A preseason candidate for the Wade, Naismith and Wooden National Player-of-the-Year awards, Theriot earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2015, despite missing more than half of the conference season. She was a first-team All-Big Ten choice and honorable-mention Associated Press All-American as a sophomore in 2013-14.
Freshman guard Emily Wood captured Nebraska's Teammate Award. The 5-5 walk-on from Salina, Kan., competed in 10 games as a freshman, including NU's Big Ten Tournament games against Illinois and Iowa.
2015 Team Awards
Offensive MVP - Rachel Theriot
Defensive MVP - Tear'a Laudermill
Kathy Branchaud Most Improved Rebounder Award - Brandi Jeffery
Husker Award - Emily Cady
Teammate Award - Emily Wood
Most Dedicated Practice Player -Jacob Birch
