Joens, Morgan, Botkin are divisional POYs

Freshman Ashley Joens of Iowa City High has been named the MVC Mississippi Division girls' basketball player of the year while Cedar Rapids Kennedy's Stephanie Botkin and Iowa City West's Mikaela Morgan share the honors in the Valley Division.

Joens averaged 18.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in her rookie season, lifting the Little Hawks to a share of the Mississippi Division championship.

Morgan helped West advance to next week's state tournament, posting 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game as West captured the Valley Division title. Morgan has signed with UNI.

Botkin, who will play at Washington University in St. Louis, averaged 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest.

Tom Lilly of Mississippi Division co-champion Cedar Rapids Xavier and West Coach B.J. Mayer were named the divisional coaches of the year.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONFERENCE ALL-DIVISION GIRLS' BASKETBALL

Mississippi Division

First Team (*unanimous)

*Ashley Joens, fr., Iowa City High; *Kenya Earl, soph., Iowa City High; *Jessica Brown, sr., Dubuque Hempstead; *Kandis O'Donnell, sr., Cedar Rapids Washington; Tahya Campbell, soph., Waterloo West; Morgan Breitbach, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Lizzy Bailey, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Player of the year - Joens. Coach of the year - Tom Lilly, Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Second Team

Emilie Rotter, sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Gabrielle Riley, sr., Dubuque Hempstead; Aliyah Robinson, soph., Waterloo West; Joniqua Clark, jr., Cedar Rapids Washington; Anne Visser, jr., Cedar Rapids Washington; Halle Person, fr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Courtney Joens, jr., Iowa City High; McKenna Andersen, jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Honorable mention (Metro/I.C only)

Prairie - Olivia Usher and Jenne Wagemester. Washington - Courtney Squires and Allie Semrau. Xavier - Meghan Joens and Amelia Ivester. City High - Sarah Plock and Sara Blowers.

Valley Division

First Team (*unanimous)

*Adrienna Boettger, sr. Cedar Falls; *Stephanie Botkin, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; *Mikaela Morgan, sr., Iowa City West; *Dani Craig, sr., Iowa City West; Emma Gerdes, jr., Cedar Falls; Lela Sellers, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Jade Lynch, sr., Dubuque Wahlert.

Co-players of the year - Morgan and Botkin. Coach of the year - B.J. Mayer, Iowa City West.

Second Team

Addison Long, sr., Cedar Falls; Kennedy Dighton, soph., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Sydney Hayden, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Makenzie Williams, sr., Dubuque Senior; Grace Tafolla, sr., Iowa City West; Amanda Ollinger, jr., Linn-Mar; Olivia Montague, sr., Linn-Mar; Charlotte Flynn, jr., Dubuque Wahlert.

Honorable mention (Metro/I.C. only)

Jefferson - Kylie Wise and Samantha Kitterman. Kennedy - Abby Hellweg and Linden Runels. I.C. West - Ali Tauchen and Emily Halverson. Linn-Mar - Kamryn Finley and Niki Sharma.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com