Mid-South Conference 2021-22 Women's Basketball Season Awards Announce

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Cumberland's (Tenn.) Tyra Johnson earned Player of the Year honors, Tennessee Southern's Taylor McNairy was voted the Randy Vernon Defensive Player of the Year, Cumberlands' (Ky.) Kassie Monday garnered Freshman of the Year accolades and Thomas More's (Ky.) Jeff Hans was named Mid-South Coach of the Year, part of all-conference awards announced Thursday by the league office.

Campbellsville's (Ky.) Miranda Denney received Assistant Coach of the Year honors as well.

Three Bethel Lady Wildcats earned honors.

Conference coaches voted on the awards at the conclusion of the regular season and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

Johnson, a senior from Decatur, Ala., ranks second in the conference, averaging of 17.5 points per game (18.6 in MSC action). She posted 20-plus points in 13 games this season, 12 of those in league play, while shooting 35 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent at the free throw line. Johnson helped the Phoenix improve from three wins in 2020-21 to 13 this year, including eight in conference play.

McNairy, a senior from Pulaski, Tenn., posted 55 steals in 29 outings this year (1.90 per game), earning Defensive Player of the Year accolades.

Monday registered a team-high 14.9 points along with 3.2 rebounds and a team-best 4.0 assists in 27 outings for the Patriots to garner Freshman of the Year honors. She posted 21 games in double figures and five others with either eight or nine points while making 39.5 percent (51-of-129) from 3-point range and 78.9 percent (71-for-90) at the foul line.

Hans led Thomas More to the No. 1 ranking in the country for part of the season and the Saints spent the entire year ranked in the Top 5 nationally, ending the regular season 26-3 overall and ranked No. 3 in the country. TMU won its second consecutive MSC regular season title, producing an 19-2 league record, and begins this week's league tournament as the No. 1 seed.

Johnson and Monday highlight the 12-player First Team All-Mid-South Conference list, with an additional 12 players named Second Team All-MSC and seven student-athletes earned Honorable Mention honors. Those players named Honorable Mention appeared on at least two coaches' ballots.

2021-22 Mid-South Conference Women's Basketball First Team

2021-22 Mid-South Conference Women's Basketball Second Team

2021-22 Mid-South Conference Women's Basketball Honorable Mention

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