Fitzgerald Named WBCA All-Region; Cardoza COTY Finalist

PHILADELPHIA -- Temple women's basketball standout, Feyonda Fitzgerald, was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-Region team, highlighting a number of organization awards announced on Thursday. Also honored by the WBCA, Temple head coach Tonya Cardoza was named one of 10 finalists for the United States Marine Corps/WBCA National NCAA Division I Coach of the Year.

Fitzgerald ended her storied Temple career in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, a first for the Owls since 2011. A three-time All-Conference selection in the American Athletic Conference, including first team in 2017, she ranks in the top-10 nationally in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. Fitzgerald finished her time in cherry and white as the program's all-time leader in assists for both a career (635) and a single season (232), with her single season mark also setting a new conference record. She ranks second all-time at Temple with 1,824 total points and this season was named a Nancy Lieberman National Point Guard of the Year Finalist (Top 10) and to the USBWA National Player of the Year and Dawn Staley Award watch lists.

Fitzgerald's inclusion on the All-Region squad makes her one of 52 finalists for the 10-member 2017 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America team that will be announced at the Final Four.

The all-time winningest coach in the history of Temple women's basketball, Cardoza appears on the national list for the first time in her career. Earlier this season, she earned American Coach of the Year honors alongside UConn's Geno Auriemma, guiding the Owls to an overall record of 24-8 and a 13-3 mark in conference play. Cardoza had her Owls in both the AP and the USA Today/Coaches poll for just the third time in Temple program history and the Owls' RPI was as high as 17, the program's best ever ranking.

The 2017 Temple women's basketball team ended the season with a 24-8 overall record, finishing second in The American and earning the program's first NCAA bid since the 2010-11 season.

WBCA All-Region (Region 3)
Name	Institution	Year	Pos.
Ariel Atkins	Texas	Junior	Guard
Kalani Brown	Baylor	Sophomore	Center
Napheesa Collier	Connecticut	Sophomore	Forward
Nina Davis	Baylor	Senior	Forward
Feyonda Fitzgerald	Temple	Senior	Guard
Kitija Laksa	South Florida	Sophomore	Forward
Breanna Lewis	Kansas State	Senior	Center
Tynice Martin	West Virginia	Sophomore	Guard
Brooke McCarty	Texas	Junior	Guard
Katie Lou Samuelson	Connecticut	Sophomore	Guard
Gabby Williams	Connecticut	Junior	Forward