Cotton-Black, Hocker, Hardeman recognized

DURANT, Okla. (Mar. 13) – Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s Staci Willis has been named the Lone Star Conference North Division Academic Player of the Year, it was announced today by league officials. 

Willis, a 5-7 sophomore guard from Silo, Okla., is joined on the LSC North Division Academic Team by fellow teammate Sami Jo Cotton-Black, along with Southwestern Oklahoma’s Nicki Sloan and Northeastern State’s Cara Busson and Susan Snell.  The pair is the first basketball players from Southeastern to be recognized for these honors.

“(The recognition) is a credit to their determination to be true student-athletes,” said Savage Storm head coach Darin Grover.

Willis, a psychology major, came off the bench this past season, averaging 5.7 points per game.  Cotton-Black, an education major from Crowder, Okla., led Southeastern in scoring with 13.7 points per game.

Jessica Hocker, an elementary education major from Spring Hill, Kan., and Lacey Hardeman, a biology major from Norman, Okla., were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

“All four of these student-athletes not only did a great job in the classroom, they played major minutes on the court,” said Grover.

To be eligible for the LSC academic honors, student-athletes must have reached sophomore status and carry at least a 3.2 grade point average.  The All-Academic Team is selected from the list of academically qualified players, with the league’s sports information directors voting on the basis of both academic and athletic achievement.