ANGOLA, IND. -- Trine University women's basketball had two players named to the 2018-19 All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Teams in seniors Brandi Dawson (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) and Cassidy Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold). For the third year in a row, Dawson was also tabbed as the conference "Most Valuable Player."
Dawson and Williams were both selected as first-team award winners after helping the Thunder to 23 victories after regular season play (23-2 overall) and finished undefeated in MIAA action (16-0) for the first time since joining the conference in 2004. The duo has played key roles in Trine's current 13-game winning streak and are winners of 21 of its last 22 contests. Trine has also captured its third-straight (shared or outright) conference regular-season championship.
In addition to being a three-time MIAA "MVP," Dawson has also garnered first-team All-MIAA honors three times and is now a four-time All-Conference player overall having also earned second-team All-MIAA as a freshman. In 2018-19, Dawson leads the team and is currently second in the MIAA in scoring with a 17.4 points per game average. She is also second in the MIAA in both field goals made (169) and field goal percentage (55.4 percent). She has scored in double figures in all but two games played this season and has recorded 10 games of 20 or more points. For her career, Dawson has moved up to third on the Trine all-time scoring list with 1,589 points.
Dawson also leads the team in free-throws made (73), free-throws attempted (99), total rebounds (124), rebounds per game (5.2) and is third is assists (43) and fifth in steals (26). Her 73 made free-throws rank fourth most in the conference and her 73.7 free-throw shooting percentage (73-of-99) is the fourth best in the MIAA.
Williams has been named All-Conference for the first time in her career. As a senior, she is second on the team in scoring at 12.0 ppg. and is shooting 50.5 percent (101-of-200) from the field. She is second behind Dawson in free-throw shooting with 61 makes in 85 attempts for a 71.8 percentage. Williams has scored in double figures in 19 games so far this season, including a streak of eight straight games with 10 or more points. Earlier this season, she scored a career-high 21 points in a 64-43 win against Marietta (Ohio) College in late November.
Williams is leading the team, and is ranked third in the MIAA, in assists with 87 and is also tied for the team-lead in steals with 36. In addition, she is among the team leaders in rebounding with 83 total boards (10 offensive and 73 defensive) and averages 3.5 rebounds per game.
Trine will be the top seed in the upcoming MIAA Tournament and will host the semifinal and championship rounds that begin on Friday, Feb. 22 at the MTI Center. The Thunder will take on the winner of the #4 seed/#5 seed game on Friday with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.