Golden Eagles Haul in Honors as Sooner Athletic Releases All-Conference Accolades

OKLAHOMA CITY -- John Brown University senior Tarrah Stephens was named the Sooner Athletic Player of the Year, and head coach Jeff Soderquist was selected as Coach of the Year, the league office announced Friday afternoon (March 1).

Senior Natalie Smith picked up second team accolades, while junior Emily Sanders was named to the third team. Freshman Abbey Sanders was named to the five-member All-Freshman team, while sister Emily earned a slot on the league's All-Defensive team.

For the second time in his career (2003-04), Soderquist was named the league's top coach by his peers after leading the Golden Eagles to a 22-0 perfect run through the Sooner Athletic's regular-season slate. It was the first time a program finished the SAC gauntlet unscathed since the 2012-13 season (Oklahoma City).

"What an awesome way to cap off the best conference season in program history," Soderquist noted. "Congrats to Tarrah for being the program's first-ever SAC Player of the Year. Also, to have Tarrah, Natalie and Emily on the All-Conference teams demonstrates how important a role each has played in what we have accomplished this year. I'm so proud of these ladies and this whole team."

Stephens earned a second-consecutive first team selection after leading the Golden Eagles averaging 16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Registering eight 20-point efforts this season, the Wyandotte, Okla. product became the program's leading scorer and has shot 45 percent (154-of-343) this season. On top of a trio of double-doubles, Stephens didn't reach double-figure scoring just twice this season.

Stephens, now a four-time All-SAC pick, was the SAC's Freshman of the Year in her first season and has appeared twice already on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's national honorable mention list.

After back-to-back seasons on the league's third team, Smith caps off her career with a second team nod for the first time after hitting 89 triples on the year – the fifth most in the nation. The Bentonville native set a new program record as a senior by converting on her 276th triple, and currently stands at 283. Smith averages 13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game and shoots 35 percent behind the arc. Four times she scored at least 20 points in contest, and poured in a career-high 35 points against Mid-America Christian (Okla.) in the regular season finale.

Emily Sanders returns to the third team for a consecutive season and maker her debut on the All-Defensive team. Often tasked with shutting down the opponent's top scoring guard, Sanders still found a way to score in double figures 13 times this season, including a career-high 22-point outburst against Central Christian. Averaging 9.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists a night, the Bentonville product led the Sooner Athletic, shooting 45 percent behind the arc, and finished ranked 11th in the nation.

"We have been one of the top teams in the nation on defense, and a team can only do that with the whole team playing good defense," Soderquist added. "Emily has been one that has played a huge roll in that, being able to guard any position and usually the team's best player."

Abbey Sanders averaged over 19 minutes per game as a freshman, the most of any Golden Eagle outside the top five starters in her first season. From Bentonville, she contributed 4.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, often hitting clutch triples at important moments. Hitting double-digit points five times this year, Sanders scored 15 against Southwestern Christian (Okla.) in a career night, and later added a pivotal 13 points in JBU's win at then-No. 17 Mid-America Christian.

"Abbey has come in and helped the team from day one," commented Soderquist. "For a freshman to do that, on a team with eight seniors, has been especially remarkable."

Having already secured an automatic bid and hosting duties in the NAIA National Championships, the nationally-ranked Golden Eagles are set to travel to the Sooner Athletic tournament on Monday (March 4) where JBU will take on Mid-America Christian in the semifinal round inside the Sid Richardson Center at 6 p.m. on the SAC Sports Network.

2023-24 All-Sooner Athletic Women's Basketball Teams

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