University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Shavonte Zellous Named Associated Press Third Team All-America
3/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 31, 2009
PITTSBURGH -
Pitt senior guard Shavonte Zellous becomes Pitt’s first-ever All-American as she was named to the Associated Press All-America third team Tuesday.
Zellous (Orlando, Fla./Jones) finished second in the Big East in scoring and is currently sixth in the country with a 22.6 points per game average. In NCAA Tournament action, she averaged 24.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game and through the first two rounds, had scored more points than any player in the 64-team field.
With her 31 points against Montana in the first round, Zellous broke Jennifer Bruce’s 24-year-old single-season points record at Pitt, which has stood at 681 during that time. Zellous completed the season with 747 points, making her the first player in Pitt men’s or women’s history to score over 700 points in a season. Over four seasons, Zellous scored 2,251 points, which is good enough for third all-time at Pitt.
Also this season, Zellous became the first player in Pitt history (men’s or women’s) and just the ninth in Big East history (men’s or women’s) to score 600 points in three separate seasons. The unanimous selection to the All-Big East first team reached the 2,000-point milestone earlier this season, and scored the second 1,000 of her 2,000 points in just 49 games.
Following the regular season, Zellous was awarded with her third First Team All-Big East honor, making her the first in Pitt history to earn first team honors three times. For her efforts in the conference tournament, she was named to the 2009 Big East All-Tournament team.
This year, Zellous has been named as a finalist for the State Farm Coaches’ All-America team, the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy midseason lists and has been the Big East Player of the Week three times. In the preseason, she was also named to the State Farm Wade Trophy candidate list as well as a unanimous preseason All-Big East selection. Zellous also graced the Lindy’s, Sports Illustrated and the Sporting News’ preseason All-America teams.
Thursday night Zellous will be honored as the Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the Year at the charity’s annual banquet, which is to be held at the Petersen Events Center.
A total of six Big East players graced the All-America team, including three of the five-person first team, which is double what any other conference totaled. Connecticut’s Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery and Louisville’s Angel McCoughtry earned first team honors; Connecticut’s Tina Charles garnered second team honors and Zellous and Rutgers’ Epiphanny Prince took third team recognition.
