Gator Country

Deana Allen was named the Co-6th Woman of the Year as part of the 2012 SECWomen’s Basketball Coaches’ Awards that were announced Wednesday. / Gator Country file photo by Tim Casey

Two Gators were honored Wednesday when the 2012 Southeastern Conference Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Awards were announced.

Florida’s Jennifer George was voted First Team All-SEC and Deana Allen received Co-6th Woman of the Year.

George leads the Gators in scoring (12.8 points per game) and rebounding (9 rebounds per game). Her 14 double-doubles on the season are most in the conference and 11th in the nation.

“We’ve been so proud of Jennifer’s level of consistency and that’s what this award is about,” said head coach Amanda Butler. “It’s not about being a great player, it’s being an impactful player each week. It’s a player who opponents have to worry about and George has positioned herself to fit into that category.”

George is the first member of the UF program to be voted onto the SEC’s First Team since 2009 when Sha Brooks and Marshae Dotson both were honored.

Her recognition marks the 22nd time overall that a Gator has been voted onto the SEC’s First Team.

Allen has been a spark plug for the Gators all season. She started seven games for the Gators during the season but really found a niche as first off the bench.

She finished the season fifth on the team in scoring (7.8 points per game) and third in rebounding (4.9 per game). She was also third on the team in steal (1.5 per game).

“The 6th Woman of the Year award is really unique because, clearly if you’re good enough to earn this award, you’re good enough to be a starter,” Butler said. “Deana never once said, ‘I want to be a starter coach.’ She always says she wants to do whatever she can to help the team win. When we told her that it would be to come off the bench than she said she wanted to come off the bench. Her attitude is as much a part of her success in that role as is her athletic ability or her ability to score or her basketball skills.”

Allen is just the second Gator to earn the SEC 6th Woman of the Year honor. UF’s Bernice Mosby won the award in 2004, the first time the SEC presented the honor.

Here is a complete list of the 2012 SEC Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Awards:

First Team All-SEC:
C’eira Ricketts, Arkansas
Jennifer George, Florida
Anne Marie Armstrong, Georgia
A’dia Mathies, Kentucky
LaSondra Barrett, LSU
Glory Johnson, Tennessee
Shekinna Stricklen, Tennessee
Christina Foggie, Vanderbilt

Second Team All-SEC:
Sarah Watkins, Arkansas
Jasmine Hassell, Georgia
La’Keisha Sutton, South Carolina
Jasmine Lister, Vanderbilt
Tiffany Clarke, Vanderbilt
Ieasia Walker, South Carolina
Markeshia Grant, South Carolina
Valencia McFarland, Ole Miss
Diamber Johnson, Mississippi State

All-Freshman Team:
Calli Berna, Arkansas
Hasina Muhammad, Auburn
Erika Ford, Georgia
Bria Goss, Kentucky
Martha Alwal, Mississippi State
Aleighsa Welch, South Carolina
Ariel Massengale, Tennessee
Kady Schrann, Vanderbilt

All-Defensive Team:
Anne Marie Armstrong, Georgia
Porsha Porter, Mississippi State
Glory Johnson, Tennessee
A’dia Mathies, Kentucky
La’Keisha Sutton, South Carolina

Coach of the Year:
Tom Collen, Arkansas

Player of the Year:
A’dia Mathies, Kentucky

Freshman of the Year:
Bria Goss, Kentucky

Defensive Player of the Year:
Glory Johnson, Tennessee

6th Woman of the Year:
Deana Allen, Florida
Keyla Snowden, Kentucky

Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Blanche Alverson, Auburn

About the author

Phillip Heilman

Phillip originally is from Presque Isle, Maine. From his time spent up north, he became a diehard Boston sports fan — Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins. Growing up, he became so accustomed to winning championships that he had to come to Gainesville — another place where teams know how to win championships. He is an aspiring journalist who is especially interested in politics and law. In the future, Phillip may be writing about your favorite athlete, or he could be suing them.

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