March 4, 2003

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Buena Vista University junior forward Amy Meggers (Manilla, Iowa/I-K-M HS) has been named the 2002-03 Women’s Basketball Most Valuable Player and Loras College Head Coach Larry Lawler has been named 2002-03 Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year.

Meggers led the Conference in scoring (23.0 points/game) and was second in rebounding (8.8 rebounds/game) in 18 Conference contests. She also ranked in the IIAC top-10 in free throw percentage (8th, 77.5 percent), 3-point field goal percentage (7th, 40.3 percent); 3-point field goals made (T-9th, 1.5/game) and defensive rebounds (2nd, 6.5/game). Overall, in 27 games, Meggers averaged 22.8 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game. She has ranked among the national scoring leaders throughout the season.

Meggers was Buena Vista’s top scorer in 23 of 27 games including each of the last 14 games of the season, and she led the team in rebounding 18 times. Fifteen times during the season she was the Beavers’ top scorer and rebounder. Meggers also recorded 12 double-doubles during the season, leading Buena Vista to a 19-8 overall record and a 13-5 in the IIAC, finishing one game behind Conference tri-Champions (Loras, Simpson and Wartburg).

Lawler, in his first season at Loras, led the women’s basketball team to several firsts in school history. The 2002-03 Duhawks won their first Iowa Conference Championship (shared with Simpson and Wartburg), won their first Iowa Conference Tournament, posted their first 20-win season and qualified for their first NCAA Tournament. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Loras has a 22-6 overall record and finished 14-4 in the IIAC. In Conference play, the Duhawks allowed a Conference-low 59.1 points per game.

The IIAC also announced today the Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team. The 15-member team includes the Conference MVP, seven First Team players and seven Second Team players. Conference tri-Champions Loras, Simpson and Wartburg along with Buena Vista and Luther all had two players earn All-Conference honors as all 10 schools had at least one All-Conference player.

Wartburg senior Holly Mohs (Monona, Iowa/MFL-Mar-Mac HS) became the fifth player in Conference women’s basketball history (since 1983) to earn All-Conference honors four times. Mohs joins Jeannie Demers (Buena Vista, 1984-87), Becky Inman (William Penn, 1984-87), Kari Tuft (Luther, 1993-96) and Molly Parrott (Central, 1999-2002).

The complete 2002-03 IIAC All-Conference Women’s Basketball Team is here.

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