Eboni Williams was one of three University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball players receiving Southern Conference honors Tuesday.
The Hoover, Alabama, native was named the league's freshman of the year in a vote of league coaches. The forward leads the Mocs in rebounding with 5.1 per game and is second on the team in scoring at 8.8 points.
Guard Lakelyn Bouldin earned all-conference second-team distinction from both the coaches and the SoCon Sports Media Association, while forward Arianne Whitaker earned a spot on the all-defensive team. Bouldin, who leads UTC in scoring, 3-point shooting and free-throw shooting, also earned all-conference recognition last season.
Williams is the first UTC freshman of the year since Heather Dykes earned the honor for the 1998-99 season. She recorded four double-doubles this season and had career highs in scoring (27) and rebounding (13) against Wofford.
"I'm really honored and I was surprised and at a loss for words," Williams said prior to practice Tuesday in preparation for Thursday's Southern Conference tournament opening-round game against UNC Greensboro (5:45 p.m.). "I'm extremely blessed to receive it."
Bouldin currently ranks 25th in program history with 1,063 career points. She is fifth all-time for 3-pointers made with 176 and is the Mocs' all-time best free-throw shooter, having made 85 percent of her attempts.
Sophomore Whitaker earned her first recognition from the league. She is third all-time at UTC with 101 blocked shots and leads the SoCon with 56 this season, leading the Mocs in blocked shots 16 times this season.
Mercer's Susie Gardner was voted the coach of the year in both polls. The Bears' Amanda Thompson was named the player of the year by the coaches, and teammate KeKe Calloway earned the honor from the SoCon media.
ETSU's Erica Haynes-Overton was named the defensive player of the year in the coaches' poll, and Thompson was named the Ann Lashley Inspiration Award winner.
The league will announce men's award winners today.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22