Catawba Valley Community College’s women’s basketball team had five individuals honored in voting by Region X coaches, including Red Hawks head coach Tisha England (third from left) being named conference coach of the year. to England’s left, from left, are All-Region X players Tory Agrusa and Shaniya Lester and to England’s right are All-Region X All-Academic team members Alizeya Mitchell and Monique McAbee./CVCC PHOTO
HobbsDailyReport.com
KINSTON – Tisha England, head women’s basketball coach at Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC), has been named the Region X Coach of the Year.
England’s selection by her peers highlights five award winners for the Red Hawks, who won 26 games this season.
Sophomores Shaniya Lester and Tory Agrusa of CVCC were named to the All-Region X team while Red Hawks freshmen Alizeya Mitchell and Monique McAbee were named to the Region X All-Academic team.
England, a former Newton-Conover High basketball star, won Coach of the Year in Region X for the first time.
“It’s a very humbling experience,” England said of her honor. “It means a lot that my peers and colleagues would vote for me. They’ve seen the work that I’ve put in.
“I love the fact that we, as Region X, are producing great coaches, as well as student-athletes. To be amongst the best of these coaches is an honor…”
Sophomore forward Tanisha Wall believes England deserves the honor.
“She does all the little things that nobody else sees like helping us out with school and grades,” Wall said. “Most coaches don’t care about your grades, but she cares about your grades. It’s more than basketball. It’s life. She teaches us life skills and life lessons.”
Lester, a guard from Charlotte, led the Red Hawks in scoring at 20 points per game. She also ranked second in 3-point field goal percentage (38.4), fourth in field goal percentage (45.8) and fifth in rebounds per game (4.4) during the regular season.
She became the first 1,000-point scorer (women’s or men’s) in school history, breaking that mark during the final game of the regular season in an 80-37 road victory against Johnston Community College.
Lester also made All-Region X last season.
“That’s a good honor to have for a second year,” Lester said. “I didn’t want to fall down into where I didn’t get All-Region 10. Since I got it my freshman year, it would be crazy for me not to get it my second year. It was a work in progress.”
Despite missing two games at the start of the season, Agrusa returned stronger than ever, powering her way into the Red Hawks record books as well.
Agrusa, from Franklin, made a school single-season record 48 3-pointers. She averaged 10.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and a team-best 5.1 assists per game in the regular season.
“I think it’s an honor, especially that the coaches and players see that me and Shaniya are kind of leaders on our own,” Argusa said. “I think that is an honor that people actually see that.”
McAbee and Mitchell are two of 12 athletes named to the 2017-18 Region X All-Academic team. McAbee currently has a 3.8 GPA, while Mitchell carries a 3.76 GPA.
England, who serves as Learning Assistance Center Coordinator on top of her women’s basketball coaching duties at CVCC, is constantly striving for excellence from her players when it comes to academics.
“When they come through my program, I tell them right from the beginning that I produce student-athletes,” England said. “Academic-wise, this is the fourth year in a row that we’ve been an all-academic team. We strive for that every single year.
“I’m proud of all of my young ladies. Out of 11 players, we have nine girls with a 3.0 GPA or higher. That right there says a lot about our program.”
ALL-REGION X WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
(as voted on by region head coaches)
SHANIYA LESTER, CVCC
TORY ARGUSA, CVCC
Katisha Hyman, Brunswick
J’nai Miller, Guilford Tech
Shontai Totten, Louisburg
Jada Faison, Guilford Tech
Andreal Bass, Cape Fear
Khadijah Daniels, Wake Tech
De’Najah Porter, Cape Fear
Teana Lewis, Louisburg
Dejah Horne, Fayetteville Tech
Ze’Nya Butler, Patrick Henry
Shauntierra O’Guin, Bryant & Stratton
Player of the Year: Katisha Hyman, Bruswick
Coach of the Year: TISHA ENGLAND, CVCC
- Reported by CVCC Sports Information