LSU's Allison Hightower Named to the 2009 State Farm Coaches All-America Region III Basketball Team

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced selections of seven women collegiate basketball players to the 2009 State Farm Coaches All-America Region III Basketball Team today. LSU's Allison Hightower's name was on the list.

Others players named to the '09 State Farm Coaches All-American Region III Basketball Team are Whitney Boddie and DeWanna Bonner from Auburn, Sha Brooks from Florida, Siarre Evans from East Tennessee State, Ashley Houts from Georgia and Christina Wirth from Vanderbilt.

Hightower will also be among those in the finalists for the The State Farm Coaches' All-America Team, formerly the Kodak All-America Team. She is one of 52 finalists being considered for the "elite" team. The selection of finalists will be cut down to 40 on March 25, 2009. The final 10 member team will be selected from this field of players. The final selection will be announced at a press conference on April 4, 2009 from St. Louis, MO by the State Farm selection committee.

Hightower is a junior guard from LSU, originally from Arlington, Texas. Allison has been racking up distinguished awards since her freshman year. She was named the SEC's Sixth Woman of the Year last year by the SEC coaches.

Allison has led the Tigers this year in four major areas: assists, scoring, steals and blocks. She is on track to become the first player to lead the Tigers in all four areas in a single season. Marie Ferdinand holds the record for assists and scoring from the 2000-2001 season with an average of 21.1 points and 3.5 assists.

Hightower is also a first team All-SEC selection and ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in all categories. She closed out the regular season of play with double figures in 24 of the 28 games for LSU.

Hightower will surpass her 900 career point record in scoring in the NCAA Tournament.

Sources:

Allison Hightower: http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=27830&SPID=2167&DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=275495&Q_SEASON=2008 (LSU Bio.)

LSU Sports: http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=27830&SPID=2167&ATCLID=3694874&DB_OEM_ID=5200 (Hightower Named WBCA All-Region Team)