AUSTINTOWN, Ohio - Three student-athletes from the Capital University women's basketball team were awarded All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors on Wednesday following voting conducted amongst the head coaches from the OAC.
Senior Daniele Sanna (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North HS) was named 2009 Helen Ludwig OAC Player of the Year. She was joined on the All-OAC First Team by junior Kristen Richardson (Oxford, Ohio/Talawanda HS). In addition, senior Caitlin Elsass (Batavia, Ohio/Clermont Northeastern HS) was an All-OAC Second Team pick.
Sanna returned to play after missing all of last season to lead the Crusader women to their 11th OAC Regular Season Title, ninth OAC Tournament Championship and 14th NCAA Tournament appearance. She was tabbed as the Co-Player of the Year in the conference despite not being named OAC Player of the Week once this season due to her consistently strong performances throughout the season. The OAC Tournament Most Valuable Player reached double figures in scoring 15 times during conference play and posted a pair of double-doubles. Sanna currently ranks among the OAC's top-10 in scoring (9th/13.7), field-goal percent (2nd/.530), free-throw percent (5th/.813) and steals (2nd/ 2.78).
Richardson earned All-Conference honors for the second straight season after posting 15.9 point per game during conference play as a junior. She became Capital's 18th member of the 1,000-point club on the final day of the regular season during a season-best 29-point effort against Otterbein. Richardson converted on 57.9 percent of her shots from the field in conference play and was named the OAC Player of the Week on Jan. after tallying 22 points and 11-of-14 shooting from the field to go along with five assists against Marietta.
Elsass picks up All-OAC postseason recognition for the third time in as many seasons following a senior campaign that tallied 12.3 ppg and 6.8 rpg against OAC opponents. She was the 17th player in Crusader history to surpass the 1,000-point plateau on Feb. 16 at Wittenberg and enters the NCAA Tournament ranked 10th all-time in rebounding at Capital. Her best effort in OAC play this season came against John Carroll with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The Capital women's basketball program will be making its 14th appearance overall in the NCAA Tournament this weekend. CU made seven straight trips to the postseason from 1991-1997 and will be making their first trip to the NCAA Tourney since 2006. Capital won the NCAA National Championship in both 1994 and 1995 while placing second in 1993 and third in both 1986 and 1997.
CU will play in the second game of Friday's NCAA First Round doubleheader at approximately 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. Eastern). A Crusader victory would send them to the NCAA Second Round on Saturday at 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. Eastern) to face either Howard Payne or Transylvania.
Capital enters the postseason with a 22-5 overall record including a current seven-game win streak after taking home the OAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships this season.