2018-19 Women’s Basketball All-GPAC Team
SEWARD, Neb. – The highest of conference honors has been bestowed upon junior Philly Lammers. On Wednesday (Feb. 27), the league office named Lammers the 2018-19 Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Player of the Year. Lammers joins former NAIA Division II National Player of the Year Bailey Morris as the Concordia women’s basketball program’s two players to ever be lauded with the GPAC Player of the Year award. Morris garnered the honor in back-to-back seasons (2013-14 and 2014-15).
Lammers is joined on the 2018-19 All-GPAC first team by sophomore guard Taylor Cockerill. Second team accolades went to junior guard Grace Barry and senior forward Quinn Wragge. Junior Riley Sibbel and freshman Mackenzie Koepke landed on the list of honorable mention award winners.
An Omaha native, Lammers has been a candidate for the GPAC Player of the Year award in each of her three seasons as a Bulldog. A dominant force in the post, Lammers contributes across the board and is averaging 14.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.55 steals and 1.3 blocks per game this season. Lammers is shooting 58.1 percent from the floor and 76.1 percent from the free throw line. Among GPAC players, she ranks first in blocks, second in field goal percentage and third in steals. Lammers continues to climb the ladder on the program’s all-time lists, currently ranking eighth in rebounds (785), eighth in steals (255) and 11th in scoring (1,495). She is now a three-time first team All-GPAC honoree.
Cockerill has made a big jump from freshman to sophomore year. The Waverly, Neb., native was an honorable mention All-GPAC choice last season. She made a big statement in the 2018-19 season opener by piling up 40 points in the win over Indiana Wesleyan University. Cockerill is the team’s leading scorer with an average of 15.8 points per game. She also averages 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.0 assists per game. Cockerill sports shooting percentages of 40.0 from the field, 35.7 from 3-point range and 78.9 from the free throw line.
Barry, a transfer from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, has been the perfect addition at the point guard spot this season. She leads the GPAC in both assists (5.82) and steals (3.70) per game while serving as a catalyst for the GPAC champion Bulldogs. She is averaging 11.1 points while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 79.6 percent from the free throw line. The Lincoln East High School product has amassed at least 10 assists in a game on three separate occasions.
Wragge is now a four-time All-GPAC award winner after having been named to the first team in each of her first three seasons at Concordia. The Crofton, Neb., native will enter the national tournament averaging 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.3 assists per game. She is shooting 50.2 percent from the field, 37.7 percent from 3-point range and 74.2 percent from the free throw line. Wragge has put herself in elite company on the program’s all-time lists with rankings of sixth in scoring (1,729), seventh in rebounds (806) and 10th in steals (244). She was tabbed an NAIA third team All-American last season.
Sibbel, who hails from O’Neill, Neb., has become one of the league’s top defenders and a major reason why the Bulldogs force more than 30 turnovers per game. A first-year starter, Sibbel is averaging 5.2 points, 2.61 steals, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest. She ranks second among GPAC players in steals (15th nationally). Sibbel put home a career high 14 points in a win at then No. 14 Morningside on Feb. 6. This is the first career GPAC award for Sibbel.
Koepke has made the biggest impact among Concordia freshman this season. The Lincoln Lutheran High School product is averaging 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Her 28 blocked shots rank second on the team. Koepke sports shooting percentages of 38.3 from the field and 32.4 from beyond the arc. Her 55 3-point field goals are also the second most among Bulldogs. Koepke has notched season highs of 14 points on two occasions.
Concordia (30-3) will learn of its first round draw at the 2019 NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championships later today (Feb. 27). The tournament will begin on March 6 in Sioux City, Iowa.
Concordia GPAC major award winners
Player of the Year
2018-19 – Philly Lammers
2014-15 – Bailey Morris
2013-14 – Bailey Morris
Defensive Player of the Year
2016-17 – Mary Janovich
2013-14 – Tracy Peitz
2012-13 – Katie Rich
2011-12 – Katie Rich
2004-05 – Kari Saving
Freshman of the Year
2016-17 – Philly Lammers
2014-15 – Mary Janovich
Coach of the Year
2017-18 – Drew Olson
2016-17 – Drew Olson
2011-12 – Drew Olson
2002-03 – Todd Voss