Trojans' Prichard named female freshman of year in CVAC

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on March 3, 2006 2:32 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Senior Teneal Boone's collegiate career has officially ended, but freshman Tomeka Prichard is just getting started.

Boone and Prichard received postseason accolades during the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference basketball banquet held Thursday evening in the Mount Olive College cafeteria. Boone earned first-team honors and Prichard seized the freshman of the year award.

"It caught me off guard and I really wasn't expecting it," said the soft-spoken and modest Prichard, who hails from Havelock. "It's a good surprise."

Prichard averaged 9.8 points for the season, but boosted her offensive production points when she became a full-time starter in mid-January. The 5-foot-9 guard collected a career-best 20 points against Lees-McRae on Jan. 21 and averaged nearly 12 points per outing in her starting role.

Prichard set a school record by hitting at least one 3-pointer in 17 consecutive games. She hit a team-leading 46 for the season, which ranked her among the top 10 in the CVAC.

"Tomeka is a player we counted on a lot (offensively) and that's a big load to carry as a freshman. We recognized that was a lot of pressure for her," said MOC head coach Wendy Lee. "She found ways to handle it and was the type of player who could make things happen at very crucial times in a game.

"That type of experience is going to make her a better player down the road."

Prichard ranked second on the team in steals (47), second in blocked shots (20), fifth with 60 defensive rebounds and seventh in total rebounds (87).

"The better I played on defense, the better I played on offense," said Prichard, who started in 20 of 29 games. "In the beginning, I wasn't real confident on the court ... kinda shaky. (Hitting shots with ease) seemed that way on the outside, but on the inside, I was really nervous."

Prichard helped Mount Olive establish a program-best 16 wins since its move to Division II in 1995. The Trojans' 10 regular-season victories against CVAC opposition were their most since posting a 12-6 league worksheet during the 1995-96 season.

"It's a wonderful honor," said Lee. "I'm sure she wasn't expecting it because she's the type of player who is concerned more about the team. That makes the award even more special.

"She does not look for individual glory and is a talented team player that hopefully we'll have around for three more years."

Boone, a senior from Jacksonville, averaged a double-double -- 16 points, 10.5 rebounds -- this season. The 6-1 forward recorded a double-double in 17 contests and reached double-figure scoring in 24 of 29 games.

Boone earned CVAC player of the week honors twice this season.

The night, however, didn't belong to just Prichard and Boone.

Senior Lindsey Snyder finished as one of 10 finalists for the prestigious Murphy Osborne Award. An Eastern Wayne graduate, Snyder has been a member of the women's golf team, which started play just four years ago.

She earned first-team all-CVAC honors in 2004 and second-team all-CVAC honors in 2005. Snyder garnered CVAC all-academic honors as a junior and senior, and has a 3.81 grade-point-average in business administration.

Pfeiffer's Brenna Clark, who has a 4.04 GPA in biology, won the Osborne Award. Each nominee received a plaque of recognition.

Three Mount Olive College men's players received either first- or second-team accolades as well.

Elton Coffield, a preseason All-American honorable mention pick, drew first-team praise for the second consecutive year. Melvin Creddle and Elijah Rouse gained spots on the second team.

Coffield tallied 20 or more points in nine games this season, including a career-high 33 in a road game at Pfeiffer University. Creddle set the school record for assists (13) during that same game, and ended the season ranked among the CVAC's top 10 in assists and steals. Rouse averaged 10.3 points and ranked second in the CVAC in field-goal percentage (60.1 percent).

Creddle is one of four MOC seniors who have been responsible for 93 victories during a four-year span. Maurice Horton, Victor Young and Chuckie Jefferson will be playing in their final CVAC Tournament this weekend. The No. 25-ranked Trojans oppose Pfeiffer at 8 p.m. today at Kornegay Arena.

Queens University of Charlotte won the Alan Sharp Award, which recognizes the CVAC institution with the best graduation rate. Coker finished second in the balloting, while Barton -- the reigning Joby Hawn Cup winner -- ended up third.

The award is named in memoriam of Alan Sharp, who served as the faculty athletics representative at Atlantic Christian/Barton College for 20 years.