After leading the Minnesota women's basketball team to its best season in four years and claiming the Big Ten Conference regular-season scoring title, sophomore Rachel Banham was named to the All-Big Ten first team by the league's head coaches, the conference announced Monday.
Banham also earned a spot on the All-Big Ten second team as picked by media voters, while fellow captain Micaëlla Riché was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by both coaches and media.
Rookie Shayne Mullaney was named to the Big Ten all-freshman team.
Banham was elevated to the first team this season after garnering second-team honors as a freshman. She is the seventh different Minnesota player to earn first-team All-Big Ten recognition and the first to be named to the first team since Emily Fox in 2008.
After being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2012, Banham has elevated her game in her second season, averaging 4.9 more points per game and securing career highs in total points (631), scoring average (21.0), field goals (223), field goal percentage (.443), free throws made (133), free throw percentage (.893), assists (122), blocks (12) and steals (60).
Also, Riché was named the Big Ten Player of the Week. She averaged a double-double with 20.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in victories vs. No. 7 Penn State and Indiana last week.
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