March 5, 2008

CEDAR RAPIDS , IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Simpson College senior forward Katelyn Whiton (Panora, Iowa/Perry) has been named the 2007-08 IIAC Women’s Basketball Most Valuable Player and Simpson head coach Brian Niemuth has been named the 2007-08 IIAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year.

Whiton led Simpson in scoring with 16.3 points per game and ranked second in rebounding with 7.3 rebounds per game in 27 contests, ranking third and seventh in the Conference in the respective categories. She shot a team-high 55.0 percent from the floor (188-of-342), which was third in the IIAC. Whiton led the Storm in scoring 15 times, in rebounding 11 times and in both categories seven times.

In 16 Conference games, Whiton averaged 15.6 points (4th in IIAC), 6.8 rebounds (t-6th), and 1.94 steals per game (5th). She shot 57.6 percent from the floor (2nd) against Conference opponents.

Niemuth led Simpson to its Conference-record-tying seventh IIAC women’s basketball title, its sixth since 1998, with a 15-1 Conference record. After winning their fourth Conference Tournament title in nine years, the Storm qualified for their eighth NCAA Tournament overall, and their fourth in a row, with a 25-2 overall record. Simpson has won a school-record 25 games and leads the Conference in scoring offense (84.8 points/game), scoring margin (+24.0), field goal percentage (48.7 percent), field goal percentage defense (34.7 percent), 3-point field goal defense (29.9 percent), rebounding offense (44.7 rebounds/game), rebounding margin (+7.1), blocked shots (8.81 blocks/game), assists (20.81 assists/game), steals (13.37 steals/game), and turnover margin (+4.48). This marks the fourth time Niemuth has been named IIAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, earning similar honors following the 1997-98, 1998-99, 2005-06 seasons.

The IIAC also announced today the 2007-08 Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team. The 15-member Team includes nine repeat All-Conference performers including University of Dubuque’s Courtney Musser and Loras College’s Natalie Pucci who become the IIAC’s seventh and eighth four-time All-Conference picks. Pucci and Coe's Amber Karkosh become the ninth and tenth players, respectively, to be named a First Team All-Conference selection at least three times. In addition, Whiton twice received First Team All-IIAC honors prior to being named MVP this season. Conference Champion Simpson had three All-Conference performers, while Buena Vista, Coe, Dubuqe, Loras, and Luther each two.

The complete 2007-08 IIAC Women’s Basketball All-Conference Team is here.

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