FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Piedmont College women's basketball's Amari Price was named USA South Player of the Year, announced by the league office on Thursday.
The junior guard from Hiram, Georgia also earned a spot on the All-USA South First Team and All-USA South West Division First Team.
Price becomes the first player in program history to win USA South Player of the Year.
For the season, Price displayed her versatile skillset, averaging 15.4 points, 6.2 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals. The numbers improved in conference games, as she improved her scoring to 16.8 points per game and dished out 99 assists compared to 50 turnovers.
Price led the USA South and currently ranks sixth in the NCAA with 156 total assists. That number shattered the Piedmont single season record of 126, set by Lori Vaughan in the 2004-05 season.
Against Covenant on Nov. 30, Price recorded her first career triple-double, scoring 19 points to go with 12 assists and 12 rebounds. She led the team to a thrilling 71-68 victory at home against Maryville, scoring 25 points to go with eight assists.
After two more outstanding performances in Piedmont blowout wins over Berea (Jan. 12) and Brevard, she was named USA South Player of the Week on Monday, Jan. 14.
She improved her long-range shooting as the season went on, finishing third in the league with a 39.6 percent mark from long range.
Also honored was junior forward Rachel Irby, who earned a spot on the All-Sportsmanship Team.
Piedmont finished the regular season with a 20-5 overall record, and a 14-2 mark in conference play, tied with Berea for the best record in the USA South West Division. Courtesy of a tiebreaker, the Lions earned the No. 1 seed for the USA South Tournament and will play all of their games at Cave Arena should they advance.
The Lions will take on Mary Baldwin this Saturday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. The Fighting Squirrels defeated N.C. Wesleyan, 114-108, in the USA South First Round on Wednesday.
