FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas women’s basketball team welcomed players, coaches and fans to Bud Walton Arena for a Season Celebration recapping the successes of 2017-18 and looking forward to 2018-19.
Sophomore Sydney Stout earned five awards while graduate student Devin Cosper, junior Keiryn Swenson, and sophomore Jailyn Mason captured four honors each.
While the night focused on celebrating last year’s accomplishments, fans and players were treated with the news that the Razorbacks will be getting a jump-start on the season traveling to Italy in August. The 10-day trip features stops in Naples, Rome, Florence and Lake Como and Arkansas is scheduled to face three international teams while overseas. Fans are invited to travel with the Razorbacks. More information can be found online here.
The Razorbacks finished their first season under head coach Mike Neighbors in March. Cosper departs with her name sprinkled throughout the Arkansas record books but it is her leadership, especially on the defensive end of the floor, that will be most remembered.
Returning is the team’s leading scorer Malica Monk. Monk paced the team with 15.9 point per game average and is on pace to score 1,000+ points in her career. The North Little Rock, Arkansas, native scored in double figures in 29 of 31 games in 2017-18.
The rest of the starting five, Mason, Kiara Williams and Bailey Zimmerman, also return helping Arkansas go from one of the most inexperienced teams this season to one of the most experienced programs in the Southeastern Conference in 2018-19.
Mason picked up three on-the-court honors, the Biggest Shot of the Year and was recognized for the Half Court Shot of the Year and as a part of the Defensive Possession of the Year. Zimmerman took home the Impact on the Game Performance award and the Hardest Foul award while junior Raven Northcross-Baker was honored with the Bench Performance of the Year and as part of the Defensive Possession of the Year.
Monk and Cosper also captured two on-the-court awards with both players recognized as part of the Defensive Possession of the Year. Monk also earned the On Court Reaction of the Year award while Cosper and Williams took home the Performance of the Year award.
Arkansas Women’s Basketball 2017-18 Team Awards
| Academic Awards by Class | Freshman-Macy Weaver, Sophomore-Sydney Stout; Junior-Keiryn Swenson; Senior-Devin Cosper |
| SEC Community Service Team | Keiryn Swenson |
| Community Service Award | Keiryn Swenson, A’Tyanna Gaulden |
| Training Room Award | Devin Cosper |
| Strength & Conditioning Award | Sydney Stout |
| Social Media Post of the Year | Macy Weaver |
| Best Singing Performance | Grayce Spangler, Sydney Stout, Jailyn Mason, Keiryn Swenson |
| Half-Court Shot of the Year | Jailyn Mason |
| Hardest Foul of the Year | Bailey Zimmerman |
| Bench Performance of the Year | Raven Northcross-Baker |
| Bench Reaction of the Year | Grayce Spangler, Sydney Stout |
| On Court Reaction of the Year | Malica Monk |
| Impact on the Game Performance of the Year | Bailey Zimmerman |
| Off the Court Moment of the Year | Macy Weaver, Sydney Stout, Chelsea Dungee |
| Defensive Possession of the Year (Ole Miss) | Malica Monk, Jailyn Mason, Taylah Thomas, Devin Cosper, Raven Northcross-Baker |
| Game after the Game Performance of the Year | A’Tyanna Gaulden, Chelsea Dungee |
| No, No, Yes Award | Taylah Thomas |
| No, No, No Award | Kiara Williams |
| Biggest shot of the Year | Jailyn Mason |
| Performance of the Year | Devin Cosper, Kiara Williams |
For more information about Arkansas women’s basketball, follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @RazorbackWBB and on Facebook at Facebook.com/RazorbackWBB. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel, “Kickin’ It In The Neighborhood” for an inside look at the Razorback women’s basketball program and check out The Neighborhood podcasts at CoachNeighbors.com.