PORTALES, NM —One day before the start of the 2018 Lone Star Conference Championship tournament, the league office held its annual awards banquet. The Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team was well represented with seniors Mikaehla Connor and Daeshi McCants receiving all-conference honors, while Kaylee Edgemon was named as the league’s Freshman of the Year.
Edgemon is the program’s third Freshman of the Year and first since Heather Brown was the South Division Freshman of the Year in the 2004 season. She reached double figures seven times, with a season-high 17 points in ENMU’s overtime win at Tarleton State. Edgemon also came close to a double double at UT Permian Basin with 14 points and nine rebounds. Additionally, the freshman wing shot 50 percent from three-point range and scored 14 point in the Hounds overtime road win at West Texas A&M.
McCants and Connor have led the Hounds to 36 wins over the last two seasons. Eastern has not posted back-to-back winning campaigns since 1998-99 and 1999-00. Last season, ENMU qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Connor was chosen to the LSC All-Academic Team for the second straight year in addition to garnering Second Team All-LSC honors. A biology major, Connor ranks 22nd in career scoring at ENMU and has averaged a team-best 10.3 points per game this season. Her ability to drive to the basket opens up the offense and has created opportunities. Connor also typically defends the opposition’s top threat for much of games. One of the highlights of her season was scoring 15 points in an overtime win at West Texas A&M. Connor also had four steals as the Hounds pushed Angelo State to the limit on the road.
McCants garnered Third Team All-LSC after registering eight double doubles this season. As a senior, she averaged 10.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. McCants’ most explosive performance came when she poured in 20 points and grabbed 19 boards in a three-point win at UT Permian Basin. She also had 14 points and six rebounds in ENMU’s win at WT.
