University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Major and Weaver Earn All-Conference Honors
03.07.2017 | Women's Basketball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – UNC Asheville senior women's basketball players Chatori Major and KJ Weaver were honored by the Big South Conference Tuesday afternoon as both earned all-conference honors. Major earned her second first-team plaudits in as many years and was named to the All-Academic Team. Weaver was named an honorable mention selection.
"Congrats to Chatori Major. Her offensive success and prowess throughout the conference season was noted," head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick said. "I am proud of her improvement throughout the season as well in becoming a leader on and off the court for this program. That is more meaningful to us than any accolade. She has also performed very well in the classroom throughout her four years as a Bulldog and will graduate with over a 3.6 cumulative GPA."
"KJ Weaver led the league in blocked shots and rebounds," Kirkpatrick continued. "She has been consistently one of the best, if not the best defensive player in the league all season. KJ added to her offensive skill set as well shooting 53 percent from the floor and is a credible threat in the paint. I am extremely proud of KJ, Chatori and the rest of the young ladies on our team. We are looking forward to the tournament."
Major becomes just the fourth UNC Asheville women's basketball player to earn multiple All-Big South first team honors. She joins Jessica Guarneri (2000-01, 2001-02), Vicki Giffin (1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97) and Wendy Beecher (1986-87, 1987-88) in the honor.
The 2015-16 Big South Conference Player of the Year and 2016 Big South Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player, Major scored her 1,000th-career point earlier this season in a home game against Winthrop and enters this week's Big South Women's Basketball Championships with 1,063 career points. She is just four three-pointers away from the single-season record as she has 69 treys. She is currently in the top-15 in the Big South in six offensive categories, including leading the conference in three-pointers made (2.4 per game, 69 total), second in three-point field goal percentage (.399) and fourth in scoring (14.3 points per game, 415 total). In conference games, Major averaged 16.5 points per game (second in the league), converted 41.3 percent of her three-point attempts (second in the league) and averaged 3.2 treys per game (first in the conference).
This season, Major has scored in double figures in 23 of the Bulldogs' 29 games. She has also scored 20 or more points in five games, including a season-high 31 at Presbyterian on Tuesday, Jan. 24. In that game against the Blue Hose, Major tied the school record for three-pointers in a game, going 7-for-10 from long range. She finished the regular-season having converted four or more three-pointers in eight games, including six twice.
For the year, she is one of just two players to have started every game for the Bulldogs. The other is Weaver. Major enters the league tournament shooting 38 percent (145-for-382) from the field and 39.9 percent (69-for-173) from beyond the arc while averaging 14.3 points, 32.2 minutes and 3.0 rebounds per game.
In the classroom, Major boasts a 3.648 GPA as a Health and Wellness major.
Weaver ended the regular-season leading the Big South Conference with 48 blocked shots (1.7 per game), 11 more than her closest competition. She is also second in the league in rebounding, averaging 8.0 boards per contest, but that number went up to a league-best 8.5 per game in conference contests. Her 231 total rebounds is just one shy of leading the Big South for the season, but she led the conference with 153 total rebounds in league action. She is third in the conference in offensive boards with 3.4 per game and sixth in defensive rebounds with 4.6 per outing.
The Bulldogs' leading rebounder and shot blocker this season, Weaver will end her career in the top-10 in program history in both categories. She enters the Big South Championships with 712 career rebounds and 156 blocked shots. Her 712 career boards has her seventh in program history and fifth in the NCAA Division I era for career rebounds. This season, she became just the 50th women's basketball player in Big South history to eclipse the 700-rebounds mark. Her 156 career blocked shots has her in the top-five in program history. She also has scored 706 career points.
This season, Weaver has brought down 231 rebounds (8.0 per game) and scored 260 points (9.0 per game). She is currently shooting 53.3 percent (97-for-182) from the field. 17 times this season Weaver has swatted away multiple shots in a game, including a season-high five in the Bulldogs' 77-65 win over Tennessee Tech on Friday, Nov. 25. Twice this season Weaver has strung together five consecutive games with multiple blocked shots and she had at least one block in 16 straight games at one point.
Winners of four of their last five games, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team (15-14, 9-9 Big South) will open play in the 2017 Big South Conference Women's Basketball Championships against 10th-seeded Longwood (4-25, 1-17 Big South) on Thursday, March 9, at 8 p.m. The Bulldogs enter the tournament as the No. 7 seed.
2016-17 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE
First-Team All-Conference
Emma Bockrath, G, Soph., High Point
Chatori Major, G, Sr., UNC Asheville
Destinee Walker, G/F, Soph., Radford
Jayda Worthy, F, Jr., Radford
Erica Williams, G/F, Sr., Winthrop
Second-Team All-Conference
Kaylah Keys, G, Sr., High Point
Keyen Green, F, Fr., Liberty
Summer Price, G, Jr., Campbell
Cortney Storey, G, Jr., Presbyterian
Ke'Asia Jackson, G, Soph., Charleston Southern
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Alyssa Mann, G, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
Tierra Huntsman, G, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
MaKala Rouse, G, Jr., Campbell
Janayla White, F, Jr., Radford
KJ Weaver, C, Sr., UNC Asheville
All-Freshman Team
Keyen Green, F, Liberty
Khiana Johnson, G, Radford
Ola Makurat,G/F, Liberty
Iva Ilic, G, Liberty
Camryn Brown, G, High Point
All-Academic Team
Brianna Cribb, G/F, Sr., Campbell
Alyssa Mann, G, Gr., Charleston Southern
Alexus Hill, G, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Lindsey Edwards, G/F, Soph., High Point
Audrey Rettstatt, G/F, Sr., Liberty
Micaela Ellis, G, Jr., Longwood
Janie Miles, G, Jr., Presbyterian
Rachael Ross, C, Gr., Radford
Chatori Major, G, Sr., UNC Asheville
Naima Jackson, G, Jr., Winthrop
Player of the Year
Emma Bockrath, G, Soph., High Point
Freshman of the Year
Keyen Green, F, Liberty
Defensive Player of the Year
MaKala Rouse, G, Jr., Campbell
Coach of the Year
Ronny Fisher, Campbell
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Janie Miles, G, Jr., Presbyterian
"Congrats to Chatori Major. Her offensive success and prowess throughout the conference season was noted," head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick said. "I am proud of her improvement throughout the season as well in becoming a leader on and off the court for this program. That is more meaningful to us than any accolade. She has also performed very well in the classroom throughout her four years as a Bulldog and will graduate with over a 3.6 cumulative GPA."
"KJ Weaver led the league in blocked shots and rebounds," Kirkpatrick continued. "She has been consistently one of the best, if not the best defensive player in the league all season. KJ added to her offensive skill set as well shooting 53 percent from the floor and is a credible threat in the paint. I am extremely proud of KJ, Chatori and the rest of the young ladies on our team. We are looking forward to the tournament."
Major becomes just the fourth UNC Asheville women's basketball player to earn multiple All-Big South first team honors. She joins Jessica Guarneri (2000-01, 2001-02), Vicki Giffin (1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97) and Wendy Beecher (1986-87, 1987-88) in the honor.
The 2015-16 Big South Conference Player of the Year and 2016 Big South Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player, Major scored her 1,000th-career point earlier this season in a home game against Winthrop and enters this week's Big South Women's Basketball Championships with 1,063 career points. She is just four three-pointers away from the single-season record as she has 69 treys. She is currently in the top-15 in the Big South in six offensive categories, including leading the conference in three-pointers made (2.4 per game, 69 total), second in three-point field goal percentage (.399) and fourth in scoring (14.3 points per game, 415 total). In conference games, Major averaged 16.5 points per game (second in the league), converted 41.3 percent of her three-point attempts (second in the league) and averaged 3.2 treys per game (first in the conference).
This season, Major has scored in double figures in 23 of the Bulldogs' 29 games. She has also scored 20 or more points in five games, including a season-high 31 at Presbyterian on Tuesday, Jan. 24. In that game against the Blue Hose, Major tied the school record for three-pointers in a game, going 7-for-10 from long range. She finished the regular-season having converted four or more three-pointers in eight games, including six twice.
For the year, she is one of just two players to have started every game for the Bulldogs. The other is Weaver. Major enters the league tournament shooting 38 percent (145-for-382) from the field and 39.9 percent (69-for-173) from beyond the arc while averaging 14.3 points, 32.2 minutes and 3.0 rebounds per game.
In the classroom, Major boasts a 3.648 GPA as a Health and Wellness major.
Weaver ended the regular-season leading the Big South Conference with 48 blocked shots (1.7 per game), 11 more than her closest competition. She is also second in the league in rebounding, averaging 8.0 boards per contest, but that number went up to a league-best 8.5 per game in conference contests. Her 231 total rebounds is just one shy of leading the Big South for the season, but she led the conference with 153 total rebounds in league action. She is third in the conference in offensive boards with 3.4 per game and sixth in defensive rebounds with 4.6 per outing.
The Bulldogs' leading rebounder and shot blocker this season, Weaver will end her career in the top-10 in program history in both categories. She enters the Big South Championships with 712 career rebounds and 156 blocked shots. Her 712 career boards has her seventh in program history and fifth in the NCAA Division I era for career rebounds. This season, she became just the 50th women's basketball player in Big South history to eclipse the 700-rebounds mark. Her 156 career blocked shots has her in the top-five in program history. She also has scored 706 career points.
This season, Weaver has brought down 231 rebounds (8.0 per game) and scored 260 points (9.0 per game). She is currently shooting 53.3 percent (97-for-182) from the field. 17 times this season Weaver has swatted away multiple shots in a game, including a season-high five in the Bulldogs' 77-65 win over Tennessee Tech on Friday, Nov. 25. Twice this season Weaver has strung together five consecutive games with multiple blocked shots and she had at least one block in 16 straight games at one point.
Winners of four of their last five games, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team (15-14, 9-9 Big South) will open play in the 2017 Big South Conference Women's Basketball Championships against 10th-seeded Longwood (4-25, 1-17 Big South) on Thursday, March 9, at 8 p.m. The Bulldogs enter the tournament as the No. 7 seed.
2016-17 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE
First-Team All-Conference
Emma Bockrath, G, Soph., High Point
Chatori Major, G, Sr., UNC Asheville
Destinee Walker, G/F, Soph., Radford
Jayda Worthy, F, Jr., Radford
Erica Williams, G/F, Sr., Winthrop
Second-Team All-Conference
Kaylah Keys, G, Sr., High Point
Keyen Green, F, Fr., Liberty
Summer Price, G, Jr., Campbell
Cortney Storey, G, Jr., Presbyterian
Ke'Asia Jackson, G, Soph., Charleston Southern
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Alyssa Mann, G, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
Tierra Huntsman, G, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
MaKala Rouse, G, Jr., Campbell
Janayla White, F, Jr., Radford
KJ Weaver, C, Sr., UNC Asheville
All-Freshman Team
Keyen Green, F, Liberty
Khiana Johnson, G, Radford
Ola Makurat,G/F, Liberty
Iva Ilic, G, Liberty
Camryn Brown, G, High Point
All-Academic Team
Brianna Cribb, G/F, Sr., Campbell
Alyssa Mann, G, Gr., Charleston Southern
Alexus Hill, G, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Lindsey Edwards, G/F, Soph., High Point
Audrey Rettstatt, G/F, Sr., Liberty
Micaela Ellis, G, Jr., Longwood
Janie Miles, G, Jr., Presbyterian
Rachael Ross, C, Gr., Radford
Chatori Major, G, Sr., UNC Asheville
Naima Jackson, G, Jr., Winthrop
Player of the Year
Emma Bockrath, G, Soph., High Point
Freshman of the Year
Keyen Green, F, Liberty
Defensive Player of the Year
MaKala Rouse, G, Jr., Campbell
Coach of the Year
Ronny Fisher, Campbell
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Janie Miles, G, Jr., Presbyterian
Players Mentioned
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