University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldogs Bring Home Top Big South Season Honors
03.08.2016 | Women's Basketball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick and three Bulldogs bring home top honors in the Big South Conference's annual postseason awards announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Asheville junior Chatori Major was awarded the league's highest honor of the 2015-16 Big South Conference Player of the year. Junior, Tianna Knuckles earned second-team All-Conference honors and senior Paige Love was selected for the Conference's All-Academic Team.
Coach Kirkpatrick was elected as the 2015-16 Big South Conference Coach of the year. Kirkpatrick and the Bulldogs captured the Big South Conference regular season crown for the first time in program history this year, and set a new school record for most Big South Conference wins at 16, replacing a previous best of nine. Asheville was picked to finish 8th in the Big South Conference Preseason Poll in late October.
Major was the team's leading scorer, averaging 13.4 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game and 27.7 minutes per game. She has provided the Bulldog offense with team-high points in 11 games this season. Major leads the Bulldogs in 8 statistical categories, and ranks among the top 10 in the Big South in: three-point percentage (2nd), scoring (5th), field goal percentage (4th) and three-pointers made (8th). Major has started all 29 games this season and has scored in double-figures in 21 games.
Knuckles is Asheville's second leading scorer at 12.3 points per game and has provided team-high points in 12 games this season. She leads the Bulldogs in three statistical categories. She has started 28 games this season and scored in double-figures in 22 games. She ranks in the top 10 in the Big South in: three-pointers made (2nd), three-point shooting percentage (6th), scoring (7th) and field goal percentage (10th).
Love has started 19 games for Asheville this season, she averages 5.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs. She is third on the team in both steals and assists, averaging 1.8 dimes per game for the Bulldogs along with one steal per game. A leader in the classroom, Love has made the Dean's List seven straight semesters since her arrival at Asheville. She is also a member of UNC Asheville's Leaders for Leaders program, Asheville's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and an Attendee of the NACWAA Women's Leadership Symposium. Love is also active in serving the community, and volunteers with multiple programs within the Asheville community.
Coach Kirkpatrick is in her fourth year as head coach for the Bulldogs. This season, Kirkpatrick amassed 23 wins, bettering her record of 22 victories in the past three seasons combined. To start the 2015-16 season, the Bulldogs also matched the program's best start of 9-2 before falling to Clemson University on the road in December.
Kirkpatrick and the Bulldogs will be back in action at home in Kimmel Arena in the quarterfinal round of the Big South Conference Tournament this Friday at noon. Asheville will face the winner of Campbell University and Coastal Carolina University to be played on Thursday at 2:00 p.m.
