NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont’s Cameron Newbauer and Chattanooga’s Jasmine Joyner were named the Women’s College Basketball Coach and Player of the Year, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for the 2016-17 season, announced this week by the organization.
Newbauer posted a 27-6 record this season for the Bruins, the second-most wins in OVC history and only the fourth team in league annals to finish undefeated (16-0) and win the conference tournament. He became the first Belmont women's basketball coach to earn OVC Coach of the Year accolades and produced three First Team All-OVC selections, including OVC Tournament MVP Kylee Smith.
The Bruins won 21 straight games from December 18-March 4 before falling to Kentucky, 73-70, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It marked the second-longest winning streak in conference history. Belmont won its second straight league tourney in 2016-17 as well.
Joyner earned Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors and garnered Most Outstanding Player accolades at the conference tournament, helping the Mocs to the league championship.
She finished third nationally in blocked shots per game (3.8) and was the only player in the SoCon to average a double-double with 13.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game for UTC, which finished 21-11 overall in 2016-17.
She earned First Team All-SoCon honors and posted 15 double-doubles during the season, including 10 of the final 13 contests of the year. Joyner closed her collegiate career ranked eighth all-time in NCAA DI blocked shots with 436 and 14th with 3.57 blocks per game.