ST. PAUL, Minn. - Concordia University's women's basketball team had two players tabbed on the 2009 All-Northern Sun Conference team, announced today by the NSIC office. Senior Candace Olstad and sophomore Zoraa Quoie have both been deemed All-NSIC Second Team athletes, as voted on by the conference's coaches.
Senior forward Candace Olstad has been a constant presence on the Golden Bear squad this season. She is the team's leading scorer with 13.6 ppg and come in second on the team with 6.2 rebounds per game. Olstad has reached double figures in scoring in 24 of Concordia's 31 games this season, with three double-doubles also going in the books. She has led the team in either scoring or rebounding 17 times this year. Olstad became a member of CU's 1,000 Point Club on December 21, scoring a career high 27 points to land directly on 1,000. Candace has an opportunity to add to her 1,248 career points as the Golden Bears continue their quest in the postseason.
On the season, Olstad has the highest shooting percentage among any Golden Bear, hitting 49.0% of her shots taken, which ranks tenth in the NSIC. Her rebounding average is 11th best in the conference. Candace is a strong presence for the Golden Bears in the paint, but has also stepped out to hit 28 three-pointers this season, shooting 39.4% from long range. She has 20 blocked shots and 36 steals. Candace was a 2008 All-NSIC Honorable Mention athlete.
Sophomore guard Zoraa Quoie is currently the second-leading scorer for the Golden Bears with an 11.7 point per game average. Quoie's quickness has been one of her most beneficial offerings to Concordia in her first season with the team. On the year, Quoie ranks fourth among all league players and tops the CU roster with 78 steals, an average of 2.52 per game. She has emerged as an assist leader in the second half of the season, leading the Golden Bears with 143 dishes and ranking third in the NSIC in the category with an average of 4.61 per game.
Quoie has shown an ability to be a breakout scorer on the hardcourt. She has posted double figures in 20 games this season and has gone for 20 or more points four times, including a 20 point performance that led Concordia to a routing of #1 Minnesota State in the NSIC Tournament quarterfinals. Quoie has the highest single game scoring performance of the season, sinking 28 points against South Dakota on December 29. She has also reached a season high of ten assists twice this season.
2009 All-Northern Sun Conference
First Team
Whitney Hofer, F/C, 6-0, Sr., Augustana College
Jheri Booker, F, 5-10, Jr., Minnesota Duluth
Alex Andrews, F, 5-11, Sr., Minnesota State
Heather Johnson, G, 5-8, Sr., Minnesota State
Joanne Noreen, G, 5-8, Sr., Minnesota State
Alison Nash-Gerlach, F, 6-1, Jr., MSU Moorhead
Meghan Rettke, C, 6-3, Jr., MSU Moorhead
Katie Tacheny, G, 5-8, Sr., St. Cloud State
Jenny Steffen, G, 5-10, Sr., Winona State
Ana Wurtz, G, 5-8, Jr., Winona State
Second Team
Megan Doyle, G, 5-7, So., Augustana
Amy Puthoff, G, 5-8, Sr., Augustana
Candace Olstad, F, 6-0, Sr., Concordia University
Zoraa Quoie, G, 5-7, So., Concordia University
Jamie Zelinsky, F, 5-11, So., Minnesota, Crookston
Tiffany Moe, G, 5-9, Jr., Minnesota State
Sara Leidall, F, 5-11, Sr., Southwest Minnesota State
Talisha Barlow, G, 5-8, So., St. Cloud State
Laquisha Cook, G, 5-9, Sr., Wayne State
Mara Hjelle, C, 6-2, So., Wayne State
Third Team
Sonny Schulz, G, 5-7, Jr., University of Mary
Anna Skala, F, 6-2, Sr., University of Mary
Kelsey Hewitt, F, 6-2, So., Minnesota Duluth
Liz Trauger, F, 6-0, Jr., Minnesota State
Katie Walden, G, 5-9, Sr., MSU Moorhead
Rachel Booth, C, 6-2, So., St. Cloud State
Britney Iredale, G, 5-9, Sr., Upper Iowa
Kelsey Homewood, G, 5-6, Sr., Winona State
Natalie Gigler, F/C, 6-0, So., Winona State
Molly Anderson, G, 5-10, Sr., Winona State
NSIC Player of the Year: Heather Johnson, Minnesota State
NSIC Freshman of the Year: Clare Duwelius, Wayne State College
NSIC Defensive Player of the Year: Jheri Booker, Minnesota Duluth
NSIC Coach of the Year: Pam Gohl, Minnesota State
