LAS VEGAS --- Starr Jacobs capped one of the most impressive seasons in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) history by being named the WAC Player of the Year on Sunday afternoon, joining Second Team All-WAC recipient Kayla White in highlighting the UT Arlington women's basketball team's presence among the conference's postseason awards.
 
In addition to her player of the year recognition, the Duncanville graduate also landed a spot on the WAC All-Defensive Team, while White earned her way onto the WAC All-Newcomer Team.
 
Jacobs, a senior forward from Duncanville High School, averaged 20.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.4 steals per game over 18 conference games for the sixth-seeded Lady Mavs (14-16, 8-10 WAC), becoming the first player in WAC women's basketball history to be named player of the year on a team seeded below No. 4 in the conference tournament. On top of that, she's just the second player since 2001 to win it on a team seeded No. 3 or below.
 
"These are very well-deserved honors for Starr," UT Arlington head coach Shereka Wright said. "Since the start of conference play, she has consistently been productive for us on both ends of the floor. She saw multiple double teams and was still able to effectively score and get her teammates involved. Not only did her game expand, but her leadership went to another level as well. She will definitely go down as one of the greats to wear a Lady Mav uniform."
 
In conference play alone, Jacobs led the WAC in scoring, rebounding, offensive rebounding and steals while finishing fourth in field goal percentage (.502) and sixth in assists. She had a higher point per game average than any previous player of the year recipient in the WAC since UMKC's Eilise O'Connor registered 22.8 per game in the 2013-14 campaign.
 
In fact, over the final five games of the regular season, Jacobs averaged an incredible 27.8 points, 15.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and three steals per game. In that stretch, she produced the following stat lines:

• 35 points and 20 rebounds against Sam Houston on Feb. 16
• 24 points and 21 rebounds against Grand Canyon on Feb. 25
• 34 points, 16 rebounds and a career-high seven assists against Stephen F. Austin on March 2.

In addition to her statistical achievements, Jacobs becomes the first two-time conference player of the year in program history, and she achieved the honor in two separate conferences after claiming it in the Sun Belt last year. She joins Terra Wallace (Southland Conference, 2006) and Cierra Johnson (Sun Belt, 2019) as one of only three players in Lady Mav history to earn a conference's top honor.
 
Jacobs, who was the only player in the WAC this year to produce average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game as well as record multiple 20-point, 20-rebound efforts, posted a conference-best 10 double-doubles, which was four more than any other player.
 
Overall, Jacobs is the only player in the country averaging at least 17 points, eight rebounds, three steals and 2.5 assists per game. She is also one of just two players along with Niagara's Aaliyah Parker to average at least 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals per game, and she is one of only three players along with Ny'Ceara Pryor of Sacred Heart and Asiah Dingle of Fordham to average at least 17 points, three steals and 2.5 assists nationally.
 
White, a graduate senior from DeSoto who spent her first four collegiate seasons at SMU, finished as the WAC's fifth-leading scorer in conference play with 14.9 per contest. She registered 23 games in double-figures this season, including five with 20+ in conference play alone, which was tied for the fifth-most among all players. She produced the following stat lines in conference play:

• Season-high 23 points in a road win over Seattle on Feb. 11
• 22 points against Southern Utah on Feb. 6
• 21 points and a season-high seven rebounds against California Baptist on Jan. 26
• 21 points against Tarleton on Dec. 31

Overall, White is just 36 points shy of joining the 1,500 point club in her career, which includes a career-best 396 points this year for the Lady Mavs. Previously, she claimed Third Team All-American Athletic Conference recognition at SMU, where she was also named to the AAC's All-Freshman Team in 2018-19.
 
"Kayla has made an immediate impact on our roster," Wright said. "Her speed and ability to score on the perimeter was huge for us this year. Kayla played with an edge that was a perfect fit for our team. These are huge honors for her and well deserved."
 
NOTES
No. 6 UT Arlington will open WAC Tournament play on Monday at 10 p.m. CT against No. 11 Seattle inside the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas with the winner advancing to face No. 3 Grand Canyon on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals.
 
2022-23 WAC Women's Basketball Awards
(Voted by the conference head coaches)

Player of the Year: Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington
Defensive Player of the Year: Lizzy Williamson, Southern Utah
Sixth Woman of the Year: Tomekia Whitman, Southern Utah
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Harrison, Stephen F. Austin
Newcomer of the Year: Tomekia Whitman, Southern Utah
Coach of the Year: Tracy Sanders, Southern Utah

All-WAC First Team
(Alphabetical by School)
Maleeah Langstaff, Abilene Christian
Trinity San Antonio, California Baptist
Tiarra Brown, Grand Canyon
Cherita Daugherty, Southern Utah
Avery Brittingham, Stephen F. Austin
Aiyana Johnson, Stephen F. Austin
Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington
Breaunna Gillen, Utah Tech
 
All-WAC Second Team
(Alphabetical by School)
Grace Schmidt, California Baptist
Madelyn Batista, Sam Houston
Tomekia Whitman, Southern Utah
Lizzy Williamson, Southern Utah
Jordan Harrison, Stephen F. Austin
Teresa Da Silva, Tarleton
Kayla White, UT Arlington
Iyana Dorsey, UTRGV

WAC All-Defensive Team
(Alphabetical by School)
Tiarra Brown, Grand Canyon
Aaliyah Collins, Grand Canyon
Lizzy Williamson, Southern Utah
Aiyana Johnson, Stephen F. Austin
Starr Jacobs, UT Arlington

WAC All-Newcomer Team
(Alphabetical by School)
Maleeah Langstaff, Abilene Christian
Aspen Thornton, Abilene Christian
Teresa Da Silva, Tarleton
Tomekia Whitman, Southern Utah
Kayla White, UT Arlington
 
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