March 5, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Freshman UCF forward/center Tia Lewis (Poulan, Ga.) was named the Conference USA women's basketball Freshman of the Year, the league office in Irving, Texas, announced Wednesday morning. Lewis becomes the first player in the 31-year history of the UCF program to earn a conference Freshman of the Year honor.
The award comes one day after Lewis was named to the All-Conference USA third team and the league's all-freshman team.
"We are extremely proud and excited for Tia for earning this award," UCF head coach Joi Williams said. "She is very deserving. Even though this is an individual accomplishment, it really shows the talent and potential of our entire freshman class."
Lewis, the nation's fourth-leading rebounder is the only UCF player to start in each of the team's 29 regular-season games. She is the team's leading scorer, averaging 12.0 points per game - which is tied for 17th in the league, and the conference's leading rebounder with 11.6 boards per game. Lewis currently ranks second in the nation in double-doubles by a freshman with 14 double-dips on the campaign. She is only one of two Conference USA players to average a double-double on the season.
In last Saturday's win in the regular-season finale at Memphis, Lewis broke the school's all-time single-season rebounding record with 336 boards so far in the 2007-08 campaign. She is the conference's leading freshman scorer and rebounder and has tallied double-figure point totals in 20 games this season. Lewis has led the team in rebounding on a squad-best 22 occasions this season and has brought down seven or more boards in each of the team's 29 regular-season games, including double-figure rebounds in 19 contests.
Lewis ranks first on the team and second in the league with a .534 field-goal efficiency percentage (149-of-279), and is fifth in Conference USA in minutes played, averaging 34.59 minutes per game.
In league games only, Lewis averages 11.4 rebounds per game. She is first in the conference with 3.88 offensive rebounds per game and second in defensive rebounds per game with 7.50. Lewis is averaging 35.31 minutes in conference games only and has played 38 or more minutes in eight games this year. She has played a full game on three occasions, including a career-high 45 minutes in an overtime game vs. Marshall on Jan. 31.
Lewis and the Knights, seeded 12th, return to action on Thursday when they play host to fifth-seeded Southern Miss in the opening round of the Conference USA women's basketball tournament. Tip-off in the New UCF Arena is slated for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be carried live on UCFAthletics.com with Scott Adams.
UCF will play host to the 2008 Conference USA Women's Basketball Tournament, March 6-9, at the new UCF Arena. Single-game and session ticket packages are now available. Call the UCFAA Ticket Sales Office at 407-823-1000. For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
2007-08 Conference USA Women's Basketball Individual Awards
Coach of the Year
Keitha Adams, UTEP
Player of the Year
Jareica Hughes, UTEP
Freshman of the Year
Tia Lewis, UCF
Newcomer of the Year (Transfers)
Natasha Lacy, UTEP
Defensive Player of the Year
Sharee Shepherd, SMU
Sixth Player of the Year
Amanda Peterson, UAB