Dortch named MAC Defensive Player of the Year

March 7, 2012 | News, UToday
By Brian DeBenedictis



Dortch

Toledo sophomore Andola Dortch took home Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors, and three Rockets earned spots on the all-conference teams as the league announced its women’s basketball postseason awards.

UT placed Dortch as well as junior Yolanda Richardson on the All-MAC second team, and senior Courtney Ingersoll made the third team. The Rockets’ total of three selections tied for the most in the conference with Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Miami.

Dortch, who becomes the first Rocket ever to garner defensive player of the year accolades, is tops on the team in scoring (13.1 points per game), assists (4.3 assists per game), steals (1.9 steals per game) and free throws made (104). The 2010-11 All-Freshman Team honoree has tallied at least three thefts on 10 occasions this season. She also is second on the squad in field goals made (117), minutes played (32.8 minutes per game) and free-throw percentage (69.3 percent, 104 of 150); third in three-point field-goal percentage (35.9 percent, 28 of 78) and three-point field goals made (28); and tied for fifth in overall rebounding (3.9 rebounds per game).

Dortch ranks third in the MAC in helpers, fifth in three-point field-goal percentage, sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.1), seventh in scoring, 10th in steals and 13th in free-throw percentage.

The Akron native has scored in double figures in a squad-best 22 contests in 2011-12, including a career-high 28 points at Western Michigan Jan. 5.

In league contests, Dortch contributed a team-high 13.4 points, 4.6 assists, 3.6 caroms and 1.6 steals.

Richardson

Richardson scored in double figures in 11 of the 16 MAC contests (three double-doubles), pouring in a career-tying best 20 points vs. Ball State Jan. 19.

In MAC play, Richardson averaged 11.8 points, a league-best 2.9 blocks, a squad-best 8.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists. The Toledo native shot a conference-best 65.9 percent (85 of 129) from the field in 26.9 minutes per game.

Overall in 2011-12, Richardson is averaging 10.2 points, a team-high 6.5 rebounds, a league-best 2.2 blocks, 1.5 assists and 0.5 steals in 24.3 minutes per game. She leads the MAC in overall field-goal percentage (61.6 percent, 130 of 211) and blocks, as well as ranks ninth in offensive caroms (2.5 rebounds per game), 11th in overall rebounding and 23rd in scoring.

The two-time MAC West Division Player of the Week sits first in UT annals in career blocks (162, tied for fourth most in MAC history) and third in overall field-goal percentage (54.9 percent, 313 of 570), as well as ranks fourth in overall field-goal percentage (61.6 percent, 130 of 211, 2011-12) and second (61, 2011-12), third (52, 2009-10) and fourth (49, 2010-11) in rejections in a single season.

Ingersoll

Ingersoll is leading the NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage (43.8 percent, 77 of 176, rankings as of March 4) and is 15th in three-point field goals made (2.8). If the 2011-12 campaign ended today, Ingersoll’s 43.8 three-point field-goal percentage would rank third in school history in a single season.

The Massillon, Ohio, native has made at least three triples in 14 games this season; this includes a season-best five treys on five occasions.

For the year, Ingersoll is contributing 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.8 steals in a squad-best 34.4 minutes per game. She is leading the MAC in three-point field-goal percentage, as well as ranks second in three-point field goals made, seventh in minutes played, 11th in overall field-goal percentage (44.7 percent, 105 of 235), 14th in scoring and 15th in steals.

The fourth-year Rocket has scored in double figures 16 times in 2011-12, pouring in a season-high 23 points Feb. 1.

In MAC contests, Ingersoll averaged 10.2 points, 4.5 boards and a team-high 1.9 thefts.

Ingersoll sits tied for fourth in UT annals in career games played (127), ninth in three-point field-goal percentage (35.7 percent, 157 of 440), three-point field goals attempted (440) and minutes played (3,204) and 10th in three-point field goals made (157) and steals (166).

The three-time reigning MAC West Division champs will open tourney play Thursday, March 8, when they battle No. 7 seed Northern Illinois. The opening tip is slated for approximately 2:30 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

Should the Rockets make it to the semifinals, they would face No. 2 seed Eastern Michigan Friday, March 9, at approximately 2:30 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday, March 10, at 1 p.m.

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