The Southeastern Conference announced LSU coach Pokey Chatman as the Coach of the Year on Wednesday as the No. 1 ranked women’s basketball team notched eight separate conference awards.
Junior Seimone Augustus said Chatman has done well since stepping in as LSU’s coach last season.
“She’s had to fill some big shoes,” Augustus said. “And she’s done a very good job of filling those shoes and keeping the team focused in where we have to be and what’s ahead for LSU basketball.”
After stepping in for former coach Sue Gunter last February, Chatman was officially named LSU’s coach after Gunter retired in April.
In her first full season as head coach, Chatman has led the Lady Tigers to a 27-1 record, going 14-0 in conference play. The undefeated conference record is just the second time an SEC school has accomplished the feat since the conference went to a 14-game schedule in 1998.
Augustus was named the 2005 SEC Player of the Year after averaging 20.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game this season.
Chatman said the award signifies what the team has accomplished, not just Augustus.
“She’s well-deserving,” Chatman said. “Sometimes when you have a player that is capable of as many honors, it comes at the expense of the team. But it speaks volumes for the attitudes of what these kids bring to the table.”
For Augustus,, the award was not possible without help from her team.
“Without them, I wouldn’t be the player of the year,” Augustus said. “You can tell that this team executes and gets involved in what we’re trying to do.”
Augustus also was a First Team All-SEC pick along with senior Temeka Johnson.
Two freshman earned conference honors as well. Syliva Fowles was named to the Second Team All-SEC and earned Sixth Woman of the Year honors while Quianna Chaney was named to the All-Freshman team.
With two freshman earning post-season honors, Fowles said it is a good sign for the future.
“There’s going to be a lot of trouble for other teams,” Fowles said. “It just shows what we’re going to have for the next three years.”
Fowles finished second on the team in scoring with 12.3 points while pulling down 9.2 rebounds per game. Chaney has averaged 5.5 points per game in coming off the bench.
Chatman said the two honors for Fowles have proved to be a special accomplishment.
“For Sylvia to be able to come to a team that was in the top five at the beginning of the season and have an impact is just the tip of the iceberg for her,” Chatman said. “And to be able to come in and make an impact on a team that has a Seimone and a Temeka just speaks volumes for where her game can go.”
Augustus, who will be a senior next season, added the freshman honors for Chaney and Fowles shows where the program is headed.
“We’re going to be losing great players in Temeka and Tillie and all the other seniors,” Augustus said. “But to come in with the ability to be the Sixth Woman and make Second-Team All-SEC is very tough. It speaks well for where this program is going to go.”