MINNEAPOLIS -- Trine's Brandi Dawson was named a D3hoops.com All-American, the organization announced at Saturday night's National Championship game.
Dawson (Garrett, Ind. / Garrett) earned Third Team honors to claim the first All-America honor of her career and cap off a stellar campaign. She is the first Trine women's basketball player to earn All-America honors since the school joined NCAA Division III in 2004. The 2017 D3hoops.com All-America team is the organization's 20th national awards. The team is chosen by D3hoops.com staff in consultation with All-Region voting results from players nominated for All-Region.
The All-America honor is the latest in a series of accolades for Dawson. She previously earned All-Great Lakes Region honors from D3hoops.com. Dawson became the first player in program history to earn MIAA Most Valuable Player honors during an All-MIAA First Team campaign. Dawson earned two MIAA Player of the Week honors and was recognized on the D3hoops.com Team of the Week. She was also named a finalist for HERO Sports' Player of the Year honor.
Dawson led the Thunder and ranked fifth in the MIAA in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game. Dawson shot an efficient 54.5 percent from the field and ranked 25th in the nation in that category during the regular season. She added five rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest.
Dawson was at her best when the moment was biggest this season. She scored 33 points, the fourth-most in a game in program history, in a matchup with MIAA runner-up and NCAA postseason participant Hope. Dawson scored 21 points against the Flying Dutch in the regular-season finale to help the Thunder clinch its first MIAA Championship. She went on to score 21 points in Trine's NCAA Tournament First Round victory over Illinois Wesleyan.
Paced by Dawson, the Thunder finished the season 25-3 and were ranked No. 15 in the final D3hoops.com poll of the regular season. Trine made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, defeating Illinois Wesleyan before bowing out with a loss to Ohio Northern in the second round. Along the way, the team claimed its first MIAA Championship and Tournament titles.
In her two seasons at Trine, Dawson has averaged 13.8 points on 50 percent field goal shooting. Last season, she claimed All-MIAA Second Team honors.