Morris and Peitz highlight group of six all-conference selections

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – After tying for its second GPAC regular-season title in three years, the Concordia women’s basketball program dominated the league’s all-conference selections announced on Wednesday. Bailey Morris was tabbed the Hauff Mid-America Sports GPAC Player of the Year and Tracy Peitz garnered Hauff Mid-America Sports GPAC Defensive Player of the Year recognition.

Both Morris and Peitz were also named to the GPAC’s first team. In addition, four Bulldogs received honorable mention: senior Kristen Conahan, junior Kelsey Hizer, freshman Becky Mueller and junior Jericca Pearson.

Morris finished as the GPAC scoring leader with 19.4 points per game. She put the team on her back down the stretch, averaging 24.5 points over a 12-game period in the second half of the season. She also ranks second in the conference in assists (4.0) and fifth in steals (2.45). The native of Roseland, Neb., is the first Bulldog women’s basketball player to ever earn GPAC Player of the Year laurels.

On the other hand, Peitz’s selection as defensive player of the year marks the third-straight season that a Bulldog has claimed the honor (Katie Rich won back-to-back defensive awards for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons). Peitz, who hails from Hartington, Neb., is enjoying a breakout campaign with averages of 13.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.53 steals per game. She has been a major reason why Concordia has flustered its opponents into an average of 22.3 turnovers per game.

Conahan, who has missed 11 games due to injury, fell just short of second team all-conference recognition. The accomplished senior from Omaha, Neb., earned first team as both a sophomore and junior. She also collected first team All-America accolades last season. She is averaging 13.4 points while shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range.

Like Conahan, Pearson has been sidelined with a knee injury. In 16 games this season, the native of Gibbon, Neb., averaged 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in what had been shaping up as a career best campaign.

Mueller has emerged as one of the top freshmen in the GPAC. She has started all 32 games and averages 11.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. The native of Elkhorn, Neb., shoots 42.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Hizer has played in 32 games (29 starts) as part of an increased role as a junior. The first-time all-conference honoree from Parker, Colo., contributes 6.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest.

Head coach Drew Olson’s Bulldogs will return to action when they take the court at the national tournament held at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Concordia will learn its first-round seeding and matchup on Wednesday night.