March 7, 2003

Texas' Jody Conradt was named Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year and Kansas State junior Nicole Ohlde was selected as Big 12 Player of the Year, highlighting the 2003 All-Big 12 Conference Team voted on by the league's head coaches and released Friday by the conference office.

Baylor players honored by the coaches were Steffanie Blackmon and Sophia Young who were named second team and honorable mention, respectively. Blackmon, a sophomore post from Dallas (Rowlett HS), averages 17.2 points and 7.9 rebounds a game which ranks fifth in the Big 12 in scoring and seventh in rebounding. Young, a 6-1 freshman forward, leads the Big 12 in rebounding at 9.5 a game and scores 13.4 a game. In addition, Young ranks No. 2 among Big 12 players in double-doubles (13), No. 3 in field goal percentage (.560) and steals (2.54). If Young ends the season as the Big 12 rebounding leader she would be the first freshman to do so in the league's seven-year history or in the history of the former Southwest Conference and Big Eight.

Conradt led the Longhorns to their first Big 12 women's basketball title in 2003 and 11th league title overall. Texas is currently 22-5 on the year and ranked fifth nationally by the Associated Press.

Ohlde, a 6-4 junior forward/center, helped lead Kansas State to a second place finish in the Big 12 race at 14-2. The Wildcats are 27-3 on the year and ranked fourth in the AP Poll. The Clay Center, Kan., native leads the Big 12 with 14 double-doubles on the year. She is third in the league in scoring with 18.7 points-per-game and second in rebounding with 9.1 per outing.

Joining Ohlde on the All-Big 12 Conference first team were teammates Kendra Wecker and Megan Mahoney in addition to Plenette Pierson and Jia Perkins, Texas Tech; Stacy Stephens and Heather Schreiber, Texas; Lindsey Wilson, Iowa State, Tera Bjorklund, Colorado; and Evan Unrau, Missouri. Named to the second team were: Steffanie Blackmon, Baylor; Trisha Skibbe, Oklahoma State; Toccara Williams, Texas A&M; Dionnah Jackson, Oklahoma; Chelsi Welch, Oklahoma. The five student-athletes named to the honorable mention team were: Sophia Young, Baylor; Sabrina Scott and Linda Lappe, Colorado; Kerensa Barr, Missouri; Alexa Johnson, Nebraska

Texas' Jamie Carey was selected Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. The 5-6 junior guard averages 11.1 ppg and 3.55 assists-per-game on the year. She is third in the Big 12 with 1.86 three-pointers made per game, tied for first with Texas Tech's Erin Grant in assist-turnover ratio (2.0), and sixth in three-point field goal percentage (43.6).

Oklahoma's Chelsi Welch and Texas Tech's Erin Grant were Co-Freshmen of the Year. Welch, a 5-9 guard from Plainview, Texas, helped lead OU to a fifth-place league finish. She averages 12.1 ppg and is among conference leaders in free throw percentage (81.0) and three-pointers made per game (1.34). In Big 12 games, Welch averaged 14.2 ppg and 1.69 three-pointers per outing. She was second in the league with an 87.1 free throw percentage.

Grant helped Texas Tech to a third place league finish from her point guard position. She currently leads the conference in assists (6.93) and is tied for the lead with Carey in assist-turnover ratio (2.0). If Grant ends the season as the Big 12 assists leader she would be the first freshman to do so in the league's seven-year history.

Big 12 Coach of the Year: Jody Conradt, Texas
Big 12 Player of the Year: Nicole Ohlde, Kansas State
Big 12 Newcomer of the Year: Jamie Carey, Texas, G, 5-6, Junior, Thornton, Colorado
Co-Big 12 Freshmen of the Year: Chelsi Welch, Oklahoma, G, 5-9, Plainview, Texas and Erin Grant, Texas Tech, G, 5-8, Arlington, Texas