ORLANDO – A breakout season has led to numerous accolades for UCF Women's Basketball's Diamond Battles, and she added another to her resume on Thursday. The senior guard has been named a region finalist for 2022 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America.
The Winter Haven, Florida, native played a key role in UCF's historic season as she was the Knights' leading scorer at 13.9 points per game while also averaging 3.4 assists and 2.1 steals per contest.
Battles was the most decorated player in the American Athletic Conference in 2022, being named The American Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of The American Championship. She was also a unanimous first team all-conference selection, earning the first all-conference honor of her career.
She entered this year without a 20-point performance on her resume but finished with six such games this season, including a career-best 25 points against Memphis on Feb. 5.
Battles is the first Knight to be named the conference Player of the Year since Chariya Davis garnered the accolade in 1999. She is also the first Defensive Player of the Year since Celeste Hudson was tabbed in 2005 and the first tournament MVP since Jelisa Caldwell earned the honor in 2011.
As the Defensive Player of the Year, Battles was an major factor in the top-ranked scoring defense in the country. UCF held its opponents to 50 points or fewer in 18 contests this season and allowed just 47.8 points per game on the year.
Battles is one of 52 region finalists for All-America and the selection committee will choose the 10-member Coaches' All-America team from these finalists. The 2022 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America team will be announced Thursday, March 31.
UCF finished its historic season with an overall mark of 26-4, tying the program record for wins in a season while setting a new record for the fewest losses in a campaign. The Knights advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history while also earning a No. 7 seed, the highest for a UCF squad in the postseason.
