Newman Named All-Conference

NSIC Player of the Year
#40 Carly Boag (F. 6-2, Sr.,  Tamworth, Australia / Abbotsleigh HS)
Minot State University

Boag finished the 2013-14 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season ranked as the leader in scoring (20.9), rebounding (10.7), field goal percentage (57.7) and steals (66) while leading the Beavers to a tied for fifth place overall and second in the NSIC North Division. Boag was a dominate force, scoring 30 or more points in conference games three times, 20 or more 14 times and recorded  11 double-doubles. She finished with 39 points, breaking the Minot State single game record for points, and pulled down 18 rebounds against Southwest Minnesota State – the same night she became the Beavers’ all-time career scoring leader with 1,718 points. During that weekend, she averaged 33.5 points per game and 18.0 rebounds per game to secure her second NSIC Player of the Week honor in 2013-14. It was the fifth time in two seasons she was named the conference’s Player of the Week. Boag also broke the NSIC’s single-season scoring mark with 460 points, surpassing Minnesota Duluth’s Jheri Booker’s record of 431 points set in 2009-10. She is ranked third overall in NCAA Division II in active career scoring average (18.5) and rebound average (10.4).

NSIC Defensive Player of the Year
#12 Emily Schulte (G, 5-7,  Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D. / O’Gorman HS)
Augustana College

Schulte is averaging 13.7 points per game this year for the Vikings.  Schulte currently is averaging 2.8 steals per game this season for Augustana, with a 2.7 average in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.  Schulte’s 2.8 steals per game average ranks 22nd nationally as of Feb. 25.  The Sioux Falls, S.D. native snatched a career-high seven steals this year against Sioux Falls on Jan. 24.  Schulte has had 15 games this season in which she has recorded at least three steals.  The senior guard been especially tough on the defensive end  in the NSIC, with five games of at least four steals in conference play.  Schulte also has displayed her shot-blocking abilities this season, sending back a career-high three shots at St. Cloud State on Feb. 1 earlier this year.  Schulte’s 15 blocks this year mark a new career high for blocks in a season for her.  With her 73 steals this year, Schulte became the only women’s basketball player in Augustana history with three seasons of at least 70 steals.  The former O’Gorman High School standout currently ranks fourth all time in Vikings’ history with 237 career steals.  She is only one of 10 players in team history with 200-or-more steals in her career.  On Feb. 14, Schulte became just the eighth player women’s basketball history with at least 1,000 points, 300 rebounds, and 300 assists in her career.

NSIC Freshman of the Year
#50 Sam Knecht (C, 6-2, Fr., Faulkton, S.D. / Aberdeen Central HS)
University  of Sioux Falls

Sam Knecht’s first year with the Cougars program was a success as she started each of the 19 games that she played in. During conference play, Knecht averaged 8.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game while also shooting 37.9% from the field. She was able to play her best when the stakes were the highest as she averaged 12.0 points and 12.5 rebounds in the Cougars two showdowns with crosstown rival Augustana. She also recorded five double-doubles in NSIC play this year. Knecht’s biggest strength comes on the boards where her rebounding average (7.6 rpg) and offensive rebounding average (2.95 rpg) are the top among all freshman players. She also reached double-digit scoring marks ten times during conference play and hit double-digit rebounds in six games.

NSIC Coach of the Year
Curt Fredrickson
Northern State University

Curt Fredrickson won 21 of 744 career victories this season on his way to a NSIC North Division Title. In his 35th season at the helm of the Wolves, Fredrickson has been named NSIC Coach of the Year four times (1991-92, 1996-97, 2010-11 and 2013-14). His Wolves earned their first national ranking this season since the 2007 season as they reached as high as No. 17 in the nation.  The Wolves NSIC North Division Title is the first of any kind at NSU in any sport since 2005.  NSU exceed expectation this season, as they were picked to finish ninth overall in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll and fifth in their division. Their 17-5 mark was good enough for third overall in the NSIC and was a three game cushion in the NSIC North Division final standings.

2013-14 NSIC Women’s Basketball All-Conference Teams