Texas guard Madison Booker is the first freshman to win Big 12 Player of the Year award
Before Texas could leave the Big 12, Madison Booker made some history.
Booker was named the Big 12's co-player of the year on Tuesday as well as its freshman of the year. The Longhorns point guard shared player of the year honors with Oklahoma senior forward Skylar Vann.
Booker is the first freshman in the Big 12's 28-year history to be honored as the league's player of the year.
Booker, who began her college career as a wing in UT's starting lineup, took over at point guard for the Longhorns when Rori Harmon was lost for the season with a knee injury in December. Booker's debut as the new point guard came against Jackson State on Dec. 27. The Longhorns opened Big 12 play three days later.
In conference play, Booker averaged 20.2 points per game. That ranked second among Big 12 players. She distributed 5.5 assists per game. That ranked third.
For the season, Booker is averaging 16.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game.
Booker was joined on the Big 12 honor roll by teammate DeYona Gaston, a senior forward who earned the conference's sixth player award. Texas forward Aaliyah Moore, a junior who missed much of last season with a knee injury, earned a second-team nod on the all-conference team. And senior guard Shay Holle was voted onto the all-Big 12 defensive team.
Up next for Texas (27-4, 14-4) is the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. Texas, the No. 2 seed, will face either Kansas (18-11, 11-7) or BYU (16-15, 6-12) in the quarterfinal round on Saturday evening.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Longhorns honored as Big 12 releases women's basketball awards
