Tulsa’s Poindexter Tabbed 2024 American Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year

IRVING, Texas – Tulsa’s junior forward Temira Poindexter, who led the Golden Hurricane to its first regular season conference championship and No. 1 seed, has been named the 2024 American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches.

Poindexter joins Golden Hurricane guard Delanie Crawford – The American’s Most Improved Player – as the two major individual award winners from Tulsa.

North Texas, which earned a share of The American regular season title, led all teams with three individual honors as guard Dyani Robinson was named The American’s Sixth Player of the year, senior forward DesiRay Kernal was named The American’s Newcomer of the Year and first year head coach Jason Burton was named The American’s Coach of the Year.

South Florida had two award winners with guard Vittoria Blasigh being named The American’s Freshman of the Year and junior forward Romi Levy, joining Kernal being named The American’s Newcomer of the Year.

East Carolina’s graduate guard Danae McNeal repeated as The American’s Defensive Player of the Year, while SMU’s Chantae Embry was the winner of the league’s Ambassador Award.

Poindexter becomes the first Golden Hurricane to be named Player of the Year. Poindexter is 18^th in the nation in scoring (20.8 ppg) and scored in double-figures in every conference game, including 20 or more points in 11 contests. She is also 23^rd in the nation in made three-pointers.

Crawford, the first Golden Hurricane to be named Most Improved Player, is third in The American in scoring (19.3 ppg) and 31^st in the NCAA. Crawford increased her points per game by over nine points per game this season, while improving her three-point percentage by nearly 20 points. Crawford and Poindexter are the only pair of teammates in NCAA Division I averaging 19 or more points per game.

Robinson was named Sixth Player of the Year after averaging 10.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in 22.6 minutes as she came off the bench in 26 of her 30 games. She enters the postseason as the third leading scorer for North Texas.

Kernal, a transfer from Texas A&M-Commerce, was named Newcomer of the Year after she finished the regular season seventh in scoring (16.6 ppg), sixth in rebounds (8.6 rpg) and third in field goal percentage (.505). She also finished second in the league in double-doubles with 12, which included six straight to end the season.

Burton was selected by his peers as Coach of the Year in his first season with North Texas. After being picked to finish 12^th in The American’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Burton guided the Mean Green to the No. 2 seed in this week’s conference tournament, its first conference regular season title since 1986 and the most wins in program history (23).

Blasigh, the fourth Bull to be named Freshman of the Year, exploded on the scene, leading all freshman with eight 20-point games which included a career-high 35 points against Tulsa on Jan. 10. She enters the postseason 12^th in The American in scoring at 13.4 points per game.

Levy, a transfer from Auburn, becomes the second Bull to earn Newcomer of the Year honors and the second straight, joining teammate Sammie Puisis. Levy leads South Florida in scoring with 14.9 points per game, scoring 20 or more points in 11 games – the fifth most in The American.

McNeal becomes the second two-time recipient of Defensive Player of the Year, joining former Pirate Lashonda Monk (2020,2021). McNeal is 8^th in the nation in steals (3.2 spg), which includes three games with seven steals. An all-time American Athletic Conference defender, McNeal is now 13^th in conference history in career steals (214) and one of just 14 players with more than 200 career steals.

Embry was the winner of The American’s Ambassador Award, which recognizes sportsmanship, ethical behavior, fair play and integrity, along with community service off the court. Embry has started 20 games for the Mustangs and is second on the team in scoring (12.6 ppg).

Poindexter, McNeal and Kernal occupied three of the five spots on The American’s all-conference first team, with Poindexter and McNeal both selected unanimously. They were joined on the first team by North Texas forward Tommisha Lampkin, who averaged 15.5 points, while shooting .633 from the field (6^th in NCAA), and Charlotte guard Dazia Lawrence, who was fourth in The American in scoring at 18.2 points per game. This marks Poindexter and McNeal’s second consecutive first team selection.

Crawford and Levy were named to the all-conference second team, alongside Memphis guard Madison Griggs, SMU guard Tiara Young and Temple guard Tiarra East.

The all-conference third team was comprised of UAB guards Denim DeShields and Mia Moore, Rice forward Malia Fisher, Temple guard Aleah Nelson and Wichita State forward Daniela Abies.

Kernal, Levy and Moore were all selected to the All-Newcomer Team and were joined by Memphis forward Alasia Smith and East Carolina forward Tayana Wyche. Kernal was a unanimous selection.

2023-24 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HONORS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Temira Poindexter, F, Tulsa

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Danae McNeal, G, East Carolina

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Vittoria Blasigh, G, South Florida

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jason Burton, North Texas

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Delanie Crawford, G, Tulsa

SIXTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR