FREELAND, Mich.-- Trine's Hayley Martin and Brandi Dawson were named to the All-MIAA Women's Basketball Teams, announced Friday.
Martin (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) and Dawson (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) were each recognized on the All-MIAA Second Team. The all-conference nod is the first of each player's collegiate career. Dawson and Martin played strong roles in leading the Thunder to an 18-7 regular-season mark and the no. 3 seed in the MIAA Tournament. The duo helped the Thunder to its first-ever appearance in the MIAA Championship with a victory over Calvin in this afternoon's MIAA Semifinal.
Martin provided scoring and rebounding muscle inside for the Thunder, leading all MIAA players in scoring during the regular-season at 15.7 points per contest. She shot 48.5 percent from the field. The sophomore added a team-best 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. She was named MIAA Player of the Week twice this season.
Martin was at her best down the stretch as she helped Trine win its last six MIAA games to earn the No. 3 seed in the MIAA Tournament. She averaged more than 17 points per game on 59.7 percent shooting in regular-season games during the month of February. Entering today's contest against Calvin, Martin had scored 376 points this season, fourth-most at Trine in the Division III era (2004-present).
Dawson made an immediate impact on the perimeter for the Thunder, shooting 46.4 percent from the field on her way to averaging 12.6 points per game. Dawson scored in double-figures in nine-straight games at one point this season, the longest streak by any Trine player this year.
Dawson's 315 points entering today's MIAA semifinal matchup against Calvin were the 10th-most at Trine since joining the conference in 2004. Her 128 made field goals were fifth-most over that time span. Dawson notched three scoring efforts of 20 or more points this season.
The Trine women's basketball team will face Hope or Olivet in the MIAA Championship Saturday at 5 p.m. in Hope College's DeVos Fieldhouse. The Thunder could earn its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance as a member of Division III with the win.
The complete All-MIAA Women's Basketball teams and award-winners are listed below.
Most Valuable Player: Maura McAfee, Hope
Defensive Player of the Year: Autumn Anderson, Hope
First Team
Maura McAfee, Hope
Anna Timmer, Calvin
Antoinea McElroy, Adrian
Darian Payne, Albion
Bre Luurtsema, Calvin
Angelique Gaddy, Hope
Second Team
Shauni Hankins, Olivet
Hayley Martin, Trine
Brandi Dawson, Trine
Emily Kozal, Kalamazoo
Dallas Austin, Olivet
Krista Knapke, Saint Mary's