Sooners Conclude Season With Team Banquet

NORMAN, Okla. -- In a night that was slated to honor Dionnah Jackson, the three-time team MVP missed Saturday's celebration as she was attending the WNBA draft in Secaucus, N.J. OU coach Sherri Coale and rest of the 2004-05 Oklahoma women's basketball team put the finishing touches on a successful season as the team hosted its annual banquet at the USPS National Center for Employee Development.

Nearly 400 Sooner fans participated in OU's celebration as they shared dinner, watched the awards ceremony and enjoyed a season highlight tape at the conclusion of the banquet.

Coach Coale guided OU to its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament with an overall record of 17-9 and a Big 12 mark of 8-8.

Banquet Photo Gallery

Coale distributed nine awards throughout the evening.

Jackson (St. Louis, Mo.) captured the team's most valuable player, best defender and most assists awards for the third-straight year. She also claimed the team's best rebounder award after collecting 255 on the season, including a personal-best 17 boards in her last collegiate game. The 5-9 point guard saw herself play anywhere from the one position to the four slot throughout her four years as a Sooner. Jackson wrapped up the season dishing out a team-best 173 assists to push her career total to 606, second best in OU history.

After earning second team All-Big 12 merits as a sophomore and junior, Jackson finally was named to the All-Big 12 first team as a senior. Jackson capped off her career earning Kodak District VI All-American honors as well as Associated Press and Kodak honorable mention All-American accolades.

Sophomore standout Leah Rush (Amarillo, Texas) was named the team's top offenisve player as the 6-1 forward scored a team-best 465 points and averaged 15.5 points per game. Rush capped off the 2004-05 season with a career-high 28 points against Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. She was 5-for-6 from the three-point line (83.3%) and 11-for-16 from the field (68.8%). Rush was consistent in her offensive power as she scored in double digits in 25 of 30 games including the last 15. Against Big 12 opponents, she registered 10-plus points against all but one foe (Oklahoma State) and averaged 16.1 points per game.

This year's most improved player award went to sophomore Britney Brown (Norman, Okla.). Brown played in all 30 games and started six including the last four. Brown finished the season with a team-best 2.3 assists/turnover ratio, dishing out 51 assists to only 22 turnovers in 392 minutes of action. The local native also accounted for 2.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. A year ago, she had a 1.2 assists/turnover ratio and averaged 0.8 assists per game.

Jackson and sophomore Kendra Moore (Ardmore, Okla.) received the team's glue and nail awards. Moore was the nail that keep the team playing hard, while Jackson was the glue that held the team together. Moore played in 20 games, started one, and averaged 2.0 points per game. She also dished out 29 assists.

Janice Walker and Joyce Rice were the recipient of the Sooner Service Award. They earned this acknowledgement for the countless hours they have devoted to the women's basketball program.

2004-05 Oklahoma Women's Basketball Team Awards
Most Valuable Player
Dionnah Jackson

Best Offensive Player
Leah Rush

Best Defensive Player
Dionnah Jackson

Best Rebounder
Dionnah Jackson

Most Assists
Dionnah Jackson

Most Improved Player
Britney Brown

Nail & Glue Awards
Nail - Kendra Moore
Glue - Dionnah Jackson

Sooner Service Award
Janice Walker and Joyce Rice

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Sooners Conclude Season With Team Banquet

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