"Anything can happen this time of year, that's what this weekend's about," Purdue coach Kristy Curry said. "I think it's anybody's. From top to bottom, anything can happen."
With the regular season complete, the Big Ten announced its regular season awards during the coaches' weekly teleconference call yesterday morning.
Player of the Year
Just as everyone thought before the season began, both the coaches and the media named Boilermakers senior Katie Douglas Big Ten Player of the Year. Douglas was the preseason pick for the award, and despite having an off year by her standards, still lead Purdue to the Big Ten regular season title.
"Very humble and very excited," Curry said of Douglas' reaction. "She certainly gives her teammate a lot of credit.
"The biggest thing with Katie is what we want to accomplish as a team, and that's really what's on her mind. What she means to this team can't really be explained by just looking at her numbers and her stats.
"Without a doubt . . . she's the best player in this league. That's the bottom line."
It's the second year in a row Douglas has been the media's Player of the Year.
Freshman of the Year
Being the first freshman in Big Ten conference history to lead the team in scoring wasn't enough to give Lady Lions freshman Kelly Mazzante Player of the Year honors, but it did make her all but a lock for Freshman of the Year honors.
"We're very pleased for Kelly," Penn State coach Rene Portland said. "She's had a great year, and the recognition is well deserved."
The rookie guard averaged nearly 19 points per game and finished 62 points ahead of her nearest competitor, Hawkeyes junior Lindsey Meder.
"She's legit," Portland said. "I think other coaches understand that. Other coaches enjoy watching her. I'm very interested to she how she handles post season play.
"I'm not sure where we'd be today without Kelly."
Mazzante was also named to the Big Ten's All-Freshman Team.
Other conference honors
In her first campaign, she turned the Hawkeyes from a Big Ten playground to a Big Ten powerhouse.
Iowa coach Lisa Bluder turned her squad around from a seventh place finish last season and a 9-18 record, to a second place finish this season with a 17-9 record. Bluder also added to her résumé upset wins over both conference perennial powers — Purdue and Penn State.
"I was very fortunate that my staff came with me from Drake," Bluder said. "The players here were very anxious to win again. They were open to change.
"I think their work ethic is just incredible."
Badgers junior Tamara Moore earned Defensive Player of the Year honors from both the coaches and media.
As for the All-Big Ten Team, the media's first team consisted of Douglas, her Boilermaker teammate Camille Cooper, Mazzante, Meder, fellow Hawkeye Randi Peterson, Indiana's Jill Chapman, Moore and her teammate Jessie Stomski.
The coaches had a slightly different view.
Left off their list was Moore, Peterson and Chapman. In their places were Illinois' Allison Curtin, Iowa's Cara Consuegra and Penn State's Maren Walseth.
Walseth and fellow Lion senior Lisa Shepherd were both named as second team players by the media and Shepherd was also a second team honoree by the coaches.
Quote of the week
"Do I have to?
"It was a great comeback. If you look at their comeback against Iowa, it's not the first time they've done it . . . More power to them."
— Portland on Michigan's comeback victory over the Lions Sunday
