In the midst of an entertaining postgame monologue last week, Gary Blair didn’t joke about Tennessee’s Holly Warlick.
“She’s got the hardest job in America,” the Texas A&M coach said.
The reference was to the UT assistant of 27 seasons replacing the legendary Pat Summitt as Lady Vols coach.
Blair and other SEC coaches spoke with their votes on Tuesday. They judged Warlick to have done the best job in her first season, naming her conference coach of the year. She became the fourth coach in league history to win the award in her first season as head coach at a school.
The coaches also held two of Warlick’s players in high regard. Junior guard Meighan Simmons shared co-player of the year honors with Kentucky guard A’dia Mathies. Forward Bashaara Graves was named freshman of the year.
Simmons and Graves were among nine players named first team All-SEC. Graves also was one of eight players on the all-freshman team.
No ties were broken in the vote by the 14 league coaches.
Tennessee (23-6, 14-2) clinched the regular-season conference championship with an 82-72 victory over A&M last Thursday. The Lady Vols open the SEC tournament against the Florida-Arkansas winner at noon Friday in Duluth, Ga.
Warlick took over a team that lost five seniors from last year. The Lady Vols started the season ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press’ weekly poll but slipped to No. 24 after the opening week, which included a shocking season-opening loss at Chattanooga. They now have seven victories over Top 25 teams, a No. 9 national ranking and an RPI of 7.
“Holly, her coaching staff, and our team have exceeded any reasonable preseason expectations,” UT director of athletics Dave Hart said in a release.
During Monday’s coaches teleconference, Georgia’s Andy Landers tried to avoid any Warlick-Summitt comparisons, in part, by saying: “This team was different. We all understand that.”
“This year Tennessee, I think it’s important to note, they graduated a class that was a No. 1 recruiting class in the country,” he said. “What Holly did was incorporate some freshmen with players playing totally different roles than a year ago and made them a very, very good basketball team.”
The 5-foot-9 Simmons expanded her scoring role, leading both the team and the league in averaging 17.7 points per game. She’s scored 20 or more points nine times. She also made headway on defense, gathering a team-leading 44 steals.
“I think Meighan Simmons is a great player,’’ said Auburn coach Terri Williams-Flournoy after Simmons scored 24 points and recorded a career-high five steals in a Feb. 21 game against the Tigers, “and when Meighan Simmons plays defense, she becomes an even better player because we already know how good she is offensively.”
The 6-2 Graves was named SEC freshman of the week four times. She’s averaging 14.3 points and a team-leading 8.5 rebounds per game. She’s recorded nine double-doubles this season.
Texas A&M center Kelsey Bone, a fellow All-SEC honoree, described Graves’ season as “incredible.”
“When you as a freshman can come in and get playing time and then your team is depending on you in certain instances, you have to grow up,” Bone said. “You have to be able to produce. I’m really impressed with what she’s been able to do.”
WOMEN'S ALL-SEC TEAMS
Coach of the Year: Holly Warlick, UT
Co-Players of the Year: A’dia Mathies, Kentucky/Meighan Simmons, UT
Freshman of the Year: Bashaara Graves, Tennessee
Defensive Player of the Year: Ieasia Walker, South Carolina
Co-6th Woman of the Year: Sarah Watkins, Arkansas/Morgan Eye, Missouri
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Blanche Alverson, Auburn
All-SEC First Team
Jasmine Hassell, Georgia
A’dia Mathies, Kentucky
DeNesha Stallworth, Kentucky
Theresa Plaisance, LSU
Ieasia Walker, South Carolina
Bashaara Graves, UT
Meighan Simmons, UT
Kelsey Bone, Texas A&M
Tiffany Clarke, Vanderbilt
All-SEC Second Team
Hasina Muhammad, Auburn
Jennifer George, Florida
Jasmine James, Georgia
Samarie Walker, Kentucky
Adrienne Webb, LSU
Martha Alwal, Mississippi St.
Bri Kulas, Missouri
Ashley Bruner, South Carolina
Aleighsa Welch, South Carolina
Adrienne Pratcher, Texas A&M
Jasmine Lister, Vanderbilt
All-Defensive Team
Jennifer George, Florida
Shacobia Barbee, Georgia
Samarie Walker, Kentucky
Danielle Ballard, LSU
Theresa Plaisance, LSU
Martha Alwal, Mississippi St.
Ieasia Walker, South Carolina
All-Freshman Team
Sydney Moss, Florida
Shacobia Barbee, Georgia
Danielle Ballard, LSU
Lianna Doty, Missouri
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Bashaara Graves, UT
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M
Heather Bowe, Vanderbilt
Dan Proctor draws Tennessee Football…
Cordarrelle Patterson drafted by the…
Georgia 8, Tennessee 6 baseball
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 36
allvol32 writes:
Congratulations!!! These are all well deserved honors.
johnlg00 writes:
Reference the stupid comments on Holly's coaching on the other article, I guess her PEERS thought she did a pretty good job. I would take their judgment over that of any arm-chair keyboard prattlers!
orangecountyvols writes:
allvol32,
Yes indeed. This is an awfully hard task for the whiners and anti-Holly critics to come up with something to the contrary.
Too bad, coaches ( who know more ) made this choice, not the KNS resident board of 'experts.'
Way to go Holly, Meighan, and Bashara. Even better times ahead next year.
orangecountyvols writes:
John,
Exactly, my friend. It was quite an achievement this year, with a short roster, plus some inexperience and throw in a rash of injuries.
27 years under the best coach in women's basketball history. Do you anti-Holly 'experts' think by now those years haven't paid off?
SummittsCourt writes:
Congratulations to all 3! This speaks volumes for where this program is at and the fact that the Lady Vols are still the team to beat despite losing their legendary head coach, 5 starters to graduation and numerous injuries.
snowpeapod#263184 writes:
When are they going to come up an award for "The Most Stupid Comment" of the year for all those people who questioned Holly's ability to coach, and probably still will?
Theo writes:
Well deserved! Congratulations to all three! I think we all knew Holly would most likely be COY and BG would be Freshman of Year. Meighan Co POY and BG and MS first team icing on the cake. I think Holly would be quick to point out that her great new staff was instrumental in her award. Maybe it should be coaching staff of the year. Anyway, perhaps the Holly haters will now shut up (probably not their minds are addled).
I'm going to say right here (I know ifs and buts) without injuries I think Izzy and Cierra would have made second team. But they will get the chance next year.
Great news and should fire the team up for the tournaments ahead. Congrats and Go Lady Vols!
SummittsCourt writes:
Amen!
Millisa writes:
Congratulations Coach Warlick Simmons and Graves Go Lady Vols :) :) :)
thevoice writes:
Considering the injury bug, this is quite an accomplishment. Congratulations, Holly. Maybe we can sweep SEC basketball coach of the year and player of the year awards.
emailnodata (Inactive) writes:
Graves has been one of my favorite UT freshmen in ages.
College post is REALLY hard to play well as a newbie.
Granted, she has had (knock on wood), that great gift of two good knees. Regardless, though, watch her:
-plays clean, no dirt-bag stuff
-soft shooting touch
-good instincts
I though it was a complete shame she got jobbed at UK, I wanted to see her compete in that environment.
You never know what each year brings, Ms. Graves. Savor this one, you've been fun to watch and you've played great.
As the Dad of a post player, you have my respect and fandom!!!
Best wishes,
email
madrigal writes:
For sure! I think it turned out to be quite an amazing year. I will admit I wasn't exactly in favor of Holly's promotion, but as the season went on I could see what a fine coach she was becoming. I think this is only her first Coach of the Year award! As for the armchair coaches, I wonder how they like their crow prepared.....with feathers, or without?
Great for Meighan and Bashaara, too! For Meighan to be Player of the Year alongside A'dia Mathies is quite an honor. I'm sure that sticks in the Meighan bashers' craws too...second helping of crow, anyone? As for Bashaara, she's simply the best!
maxvolfan#217855 writes:
Bashaara for Natl. Freshman of the year!
jt45 writes:
Looking back on this season and how Humble Holly is and what she has accomplished, its really great to see her get this honor.
Great to see Simmons and Graves receive these awards, Simmons has been a blast to watch and Graves plays like an upperclassman. I look forward seeing these two in many more games.
Congratulations to all three of these Lady Vols.
tennisvol writes:
Congratulations to Coach Warlick and the rest of the Lady Vols!
BxVol writes:
Very deserving for all three, as they reap the rewards of beng regular season SEC Champions.
tonyvick#213307 writes:
I admit I wasn't a fan of Holly getting the job. But I never voiced that publicly. Coach you are well deserving of that award and we certainly trust you in guiding such a big ship. Izzy if you had not gotten hurt you would be in the running for "defensive player of the year". Congrats to all and let's show them in the tourney that these awards are no fluke!
lstbodeanvol writes:
Proud fo all 3 ladies...they deserve their recognition....they have had a great year no one plays a tougher schedule....best wishes in the SEC tourney hope they get Izzy back to help with the rotation, defense and rebounding....GO LADY VOLS.....
Theo writes:
Wonder where Bovine breath aka chucklehead is?
BIVOLAR_BEARE writes:
What a great honor for these lady Volunteers and kudos to Holly for being a VFL..Congrats to the whole team as well..GLV!!
volaholic45 writes:
Given the preseason projections for this team, HW has done a great job. Very difficult to follow a legend and be successful. She's off to a great start. Ready for the next step of bringing in top talent. Congrats to all three.
LVFL90 writes:
Without injuries, Cierra and Izzy are right in this mix as well. Congratulations to all! I'm so happy for Holly as she really does,as the Texas A & M coach said, have the hardest job in basketball. I know Pat is proud of all she has learned on her staff. What a great job the new coaches did as well as Dean.
ps11824 writes:
Congrats, Holly, Meigan and Bashara. It is so nice when such deserving ones get the recognition and respect of their peers. Good call, SEC.
cdtnladyvols931#663910 writes:
Kamiko Williams deserved to be reconized as well! She was just as good 6th Woman of the Year as the ones that was chosen!!!!!! Go Lady Vols!!!!
VolsFan4Lyfe writes:
I actually was going to type something very similar t this. I thought Kelsey Bone deserved be the "CO" IF their was going to be a player of the year. She did her damage in much of the way that Meighan did hers. With a young squad that they had to carry most of the time. When A&M faltered it was because of youth and inexperience and the transition to a new conference. Mathies time and time again was a nonfactor and instead of getting her team over the hump she faded away. I don't even count the game in KY because as far as individual performance they were on par with each other. KY in my eyes were supposed to win that game..They had every player at their fingertips available and we had three banged up players and still made it interesting throughout the game. NOT TO MENTION that bogus 3rd Foul cal which changed the complexion of the game. BGraves couldnt be as aggressive as normal with that bogus foul before half.
We coulda got hosed like the PAC 12 did the CAL coach!! They gave it to Tara VanDeveer ! Cal won its first share of the title EVER and they gave it to the coach who was supposed to win it out right! I just dont get it... seriously ?!?
ps11824 writes:
The absence of Lady Vols on the All D team is a glaring sight to me. Not that I'm surprised, but that all too obvious fact that we have not been that efficient on that side of the ball this season. That deficiency will raise its ugly head in the SEC tournament, I'm afraid, IF we do not come prepared for EVERY opponent.
Please don't come at me for stating that. Of course it is just my thoughts, but the stats will speak for truth of the matter. Case in point: we allowed an opposing player to 'go off' on us in all the big games; in all our losses. Many times we failed to defend the 3. Worst case, IMHO, we got beat in the paint a couple of times. We failed miserably in Lexington. I don't know why, but we did not come to win. Shucks, we did not even fight. That was disappointing. Nobody was willing to get down and dirty in that game. They let the cats bully them with them coming off a loss and us coming off a remarkable win. How can that be?
Taking into consideration our wounded post players, we did OK for ourselves. OK will not win this SEC tournament. OK will not beat the hottest teams coming in. If we could find a way to win this SEC T, we will be a sure 2 seed. If not, the road will be rough on rocky top.
johnlg00 writes:
I agree. It is also WAY too bad that Izzy didn't make the all-defensive team. I guess she missed too much time with injuries, but she was among the conference leaders in blocked shots per game the whole season. On the other hand, if the LVs monopolized ALL the awards in a "down" year, the rest of the conference might just get mad and quit!
johnlg00 writes:
You gave part of the answer yourself to the question of why the LVs didn't win in Lexington. The LVs had too many players dinged up and the ones who weren't hurt were tired from a tough game against A&M on Thursday. They also had NOTHING to play for but pride, since they had already clinched the regular-season title and the #1 tournament seed. It is all well and good to say that a championship-caliber team should come to play every night, but that is not always possible in the real world.
I certainly agree that the LVs will have to play better in the SEC tourney than they did at UK, but the situations are in no way comparable. If the injured players are 100%, the LVs will bring it in the SEC, and they will win it. Mark it down. If they still have lingering injuries, they MAY not win the SEC but they will likely still be a #2 seed in the NCAAs and they will have two whole extra weeks for everybody to get healed up and rested before they play.
Theo writes:
Think you make a good point. I would agree that we did not have a top six defender on the team. Izzy may have been included if she hadn't missed. I think our best defender, Carter, was out for the season. I look forward to her return. Also, JJ has the tools to be a great defender. This off season will be really important for her. I would guess the coaching staff has a "summer plan" for her. Also, I think defense is contagious. If one person really gets after it then everybody else sees the excitement that brings. Think Andraya can do that for us. MS is so quick, maybe that will be her off season emphasis as well. As the article states, that would complete her game.
Also agree regarding Bone from A&M, thought she had a better year than Mathias.
HanQ7 writes:
I definitely agree with your comment 45ReVOLver. If Meighan didnt win the award alone, KB should have been the co-player of the year. Not to take anything away from Mathies, she is good; but I think alot of times the experts get it wrong too.
I can't wait until next year when Russell, Tucker and Reynolds hit the floor; pending everyone is healthy.... I see UT competing for a National title again!
butch31 writes:
I believe Meighan got slighted, A'dia Matthies should NOT be sharing this award. Meighan deserved it ALL BY HERSELF. Cierra, Taber, Isabelle and Kamiko all deserved Honorable Mention recognition.
ps11824 writes:
So, johnlg and Theo, you agree that we 'could have' beaten KY IF we had played with pride and grit that is Lady Vols basketball? And, your words, Theo; the didn't 'really get after it' on Sunday. johnlg, I gotta say it is the real world this time of the season. We need to carry uncle mo with us into this tournament, and we just let a lack of UT LV pride keep us from it? That sets in my gut like yesterday's bad noodle casserole.
"In the good ole days," young'uns refuse to read further if I preface my comment as such... Lady Vols did not lack pride. They had more pride than talent many times, and gutted out wins. Fact is, we could have beaten KY and gone into SEC T with tremendous momentum, despite being banged up, could we not?
johnlg00 writes:
I agree that tournament time IS the "real world" in basketball. However, the UK game was NOT a tournament game, it was a chance for a disappointed UK squad to make a statement for THEIR pride and not for anything concrete. Pride is a wonderful thing, but it can only do so much to overcome fatigue, sprained knees, and turned ankles.
As for the bit about LV teams in the past not lacking pride, why do you think Pat, Holly, and the other coaches tore their hair out every other week over that very lack over the last four or five years? That was EXACTLY what they complained about with a team far more experienced than the current one. This team has shown more pride or any other intangibles you want to name than any LV team in the last five years.
Finally, "momentum" is a very elusive, ill-defined, and very much overrated quality. Momentum often changes several times within every GAME. It usually seems to vary directly with the frequency that one team's shots go down compared to the other team's. UK will see a very different LV team in the tournament than they saw last Sunday. You will, too.
Theo writes:
Howdy ps,
well I was actually talking more globally than specifically about the UK game. When I talked about "really get after it" I was thinking more about the whole season and creating that defensive mindset. We showed flashes but there was no one player who took that great pride in their defense. Could have been Izzy and blocks et al but we don't know. Could have been Carter but we don't know. I do really think we've got a defensive stopper on this team. Izzy, Carter, JJ, one of them could really be that kid - we'll see.
Specifically regarding the UK loss it just seemed like a younger, immature team which lost a little focus and discipline. I wasn't surprised, wish it would have been different but a very valuable lesson was learned. Given it didn't impact the league title the loss may actually help us in the long run.
What can I say - I'm a glass half full type. LOL.
BTW - stay away from noodle casseroles Carbs you know!
usnavyvolfan__now_proud_navy_dad writes:
Congrats, coach and players! Future looks bright for the ladies!
Rockytopfan96 writes:
Anyone miss Coach Summitt? Cause I really do!!!
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