USI Women’s Basketball’s Shafford, Green and Loden named CSC Academic All-District
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball senior guard Vanessa Shafford, graduate guard Lexie Green, and sophomore guard Sophia Loden were named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District for NCAA Division I. Shafford earned her second CSC Academic All-District Award while Green and Loden receive their first.
To be eligible for the CSC Academic All-District Award, the student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials and at minimum a 3.5 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale) as an undergraduate and graduate (if applicable). They must have reached a sophomore athletic and academic standing at the institution and must have completed at least one full academic year at the institution.
Shafford, who is pursuing a graduate degree in sports management, has started every game and played an average of over 31 minutes per game this season. Shafford is second on the team and top 15 in the Ohio Valley Conference with 12.1 points per game but paces the squad with 6.5 rebounds per game, which ranks fifth in the conference. Shafford also tops the team shooting over 40 percent from three-point range while setting the USI career mark for most three-pointers made this season. Shafford’s 2.1 made threes per contest ranks fifth in the OVC. The guard is third on USI in steals (57) and assists (61). Following the conclusion of the regular season, Shafford was selected to the All-OVC Second Team.
Green, an exercise science major, has appeared in every game and averages over 10 minutes per contest. The guard has totaled 55 points, 50 rebounds, and 32 assists. As part of USI’s guard depth off the bench, Green has shot nearly 35 percent from the floor and 30 percent from beyond the arc. Green provided a significant boost off the USI bench during the OVC tournament, scoring five points and hitting a triple in two of her three appearances during the Screaming Eagles’ OVC tournament run. Green also provided a defensive spark with a pair of steals during the tournament.
Loden, a computer information systems major, has made quite a jump as a sophomore. The guard has appeared in every game while making five starts. Loden averages over 20 minutes of action per outing. For the season, Loden has averaged more than six points and 4.5 rebounds per game while tallying 39 assists, 30 steals, and 10 blocks. Loden has shot over 43 percent overall and 33 percent from outside the perimeter. Loden’s best-scoring game was a career-high 18 points at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on January 23.
The three student-athletes have helped lead USI to a 23-12 overall record going into the Super Sixteen round of the WNIT this Thursday. USI also earned a second consecutive berth in the OVC tournament this season and made it to at least the semifinal round for the second year in a row.
