Deja Williams named NJCAA All Star

Derek Hatridge, McAlester News-Capital

Deja Williams continues to put herself and Eastern Oklahoma State College on the map as she was named to the 2020 NJCAA Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Team.

The NJCAA WBCA compiled a list of 33 Division I, 12 Division II, and five Division III student-athletes, with Williams being named among them.

During the 2019-2020 season, the freshman Williams averaged 16.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. She averaged 34.9 percent from beyond the arc and 76.2 percent from the free throw line. The Lady Mountaineers finished the season 19-12 and placed second in the conference during the regular season.

In a released statement, Brandan Harrel, NJCAA WBCA President, praised the work of the women named to the list.

""On behalf of the NJCAA Women's Basketball Coaches Association, we would like to congratulate the 2020 NJCAA WBB CA All Star and HOF event participants. It deeply saddens us that we will not be able to honor these participants this year at our annual event which was cancelled in April due to COVID-19 concerns. They have worked very hard during their freshman year to be selected to represent their institutions, their regions, and the NJCAA. However, this is still a great honor and we will do our best to promote these deserving student-athletes" Harrel said. "It also deeply saddens us that we will not be able to honor our lone Hall of Fame inductee this year, Harry Meeks from Vincennes University. Although, we do plan to honor Harry at the 2021 event. I want to thank all of the NJCAA WBB CA members that nominated their deserving student-athletes, our 2020 NJCAA WBB CA All Stars, and the HOF committee for their hard work this year and the NJCAA National Office for their assistance at every stage of this process."

Here is the complete list of this year's honorees:

Leilani Augmon Seward County (KS) F

Kayla Byrne Lake Region State (ND) G

Eliana Cabral New Mexico G/F

Savanna Collins North Arkansas G

Shardajah Collins Massasoit (MA) G

Aleisha Curry Santa Fe (FL) F

Karmelah Dean College of Southern Idaho G

Alaina Forbes Niagara (NY) G

Ebony Gayden Jones (MS) F

Ayanna Gibbs Illinois Central F

Rashauna Grant Cape Fear (NC) C

Alexys Grice Frank Phillips (TX) G

Sharay Hannah Hostos (NY) G

De'Ja Henson Wayne County (MI) G

Tatiana Hodges-Johnson Kirkwood (IA) G

Jada Hood Kilgore (TX) G

Sammiyah Hoskin Wayne County (MI) F

Tianna Johnson Seward County (KS) G

Kobe King-Hawea Gillette (WY) G/F

Sheslanie Laureano Florida Southwestern State G

Hannah Malcomson Rock Valley (IL) G

Alise Markova Miami Dade (FL) F