| CORVALLIS, Ore. – Four LC State Women’s Basketball players earned the honor of All-Cascade Conference, announced by the conference office on Tuesday. Sitara Byrd, Darian Herring, Payton Hymas and Kendall Wallace were all tabbed some of the CCC’s best.
Byrd and Herring repeated as All-CCC honorees, while Hymas joined the group after an honorable mention accolade last season. This is the first all-conference nod for Wallace.
“A huge congratulations to our four players who made the All-Cascade Conference team,” coach Caelyn Orlandi said. “This is great recognition for a season of hard work. A great award to recognize their basketball success, but who these individuals are off the court and in the classroom is just as special.”
Byrd etched her name in Warrior history as one of the most dynamic to ever wear the uniform. She leads the team this season with 13.6 points per game and is second on the glass with 6.3 rebounds per game. She ranks second in the CCC in 3-point percentage (41.9) and knocked down 49 this season. Her 71 steals rank third in the conference. With still more basketball to play, Byrd ranks fourth all-time at LC State in rebounds (783) and seventh in steals with 276. She was voted the CCC Offensive Player of the Week once this season.
“Sitara Byrd has been tremendous all four years in her Warrior uniform, and this is a fantastic award to end her conference season,” Orlandi said. “Sitara works for every basket, rebound and steal she gets and it is sheer grit that gets the job done. She is the ultimate example of hard work and dedication and has been great on both ends of the court for us. Sitara is a great leader and brings her team up with her.”
Hymas has orchestrated the LC State offense all season and has been a threat offensively and defensively. The senior is second in the CCC in both assists (125) and steals (75) and is one of the best free throw shooters with the fifth-best percentage at the line in the conference (82.0). Hymas is second on the team in scoring with 12.9 points per game on a 50.0% shooting mark from the field. She was voted the CCC Defensive Player of the Week once this season.
“Payton Hymas has been a steadfast point guard for us this season and has made her senior season her best season yet,” Orlandi said. “She is near the top in the conference in assists and steals and shot a remarkable percentage from the floor from the guard position. Payton works hard in every aspect of her game, and I am extremely proud of her dedication to her team and our coaching staff.”
Herring is one of the top defensive players on the Cascade Conference and leads the CCC in rebounding (8.9) and blocks (69) this season. She also ranks fourth in assists with 103. Herring is well on her way to claiming the all-time blocks record at LC State and currently ranks second with 216 as a junior. She added 60 steals to her season and is third on the team in scoring with 12.0 points per game on a 49.2% shooting mark. She recorded a triple-double to start the season with 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 11 points. Herring was voted the CCC Defensive Player of the Week an LC State record five times this season.
“Darian Herring had a great all-around year and stuffs the stat sheet in nearly every category,” Orlandi said. “Her blocks are huge, her rebounding is efficient and she is an extremely dynamic player. The way she can attack from anywhere on the court has been tremendous for us. Having Darian out on the court is a huge part of our success this season and I look forward to the blocks that continue to come her way.”
Wallace stepped into a starting role just under halfway into the season and made her presence known in the Cascade Conference. The sophomore ranks fifth in the CCC this season with a 41.0% mark from 3-point range and leads the Warriors with 64 triples so far. She is fourth on the team with 10.2 points per game and 53 steals. She earned her first CCC Offensive Player of the Week honor this season.
“Kendall Wallace spent her summer in the gym and came back into this season ready to play,” Orlandi said. “She ended the regular season as the highest percentage 3-point shooter in the conference, and it was because of her hard work and dedication to get better. She makes winning plays, is a tremendous defender and I know I can always expect her 100% effort every time she comes to practice or at a game.”
UP NEXT
LC State will host the NAIA First and Second Rounds Mar. 13-14. The tournament field will be revealed on Thursday.
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