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The Big 12 women's basketball All-Big 12 Awards were announced today and West Virginia came up large, which shouldn't surprise anyone.
Most notably Mountaineers head coach Mike Carey, who lead West Virginia to a share of the Big 12 regular season title on Tuesday night, won the Big 12 Coach of the Year Award. Carey lead the Mountaineers to a 27-3 record and a record of 16-2 in the Big 12. He has lead the Mountaineers to a second overall seed in the Big 12 tournament that kicks off tomorrow in Oklahoma City. Its been reported that Carey has also lead West Virginia to a second seed in the NCAA tournament according to ESPN's women's college basketball bracketologist Charlie Creme.
"Mike does a good job. Before I had a team with these colors (Kansas's blue and red) I worked at a school that had maroon and orange, I was at Virginia Tech and we played these guys every year so I have known Mike and I have so much respect for him," said Bonnie Hendrickson on Tuesday night after West Virginia defeated Kansas 67-60.
Mike Carey is 271-144 in his 13 seasons as head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers.
However, the All-Big 12 Awards didn't end with Mike Carey.
West Virginia Senior Guard Taylor Palmer won the All-Big 12 Sixth Man Award as the best player in the conference that is a non-starter. Palmer averaged 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 21.7 minutes coming off the bench for head coach Mike Carey and the Mountaineers. She is second on the team in made three-pointers (49), behind Bria Holmes' 62 three-pointers. Palmer also hit a career milestone earlier this season when she recorded her 1,000th career point. Palmer currently ranks sixth all time in program history with 205 made three-pointers in her career.
The awards continued.
West Virginia Guard Bria Holmes was a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First Team. West Virginia Center Asya Bussie joined Holmes as an All-Big 12 First Team selection as well.
Asya Bussie, a 6-4 Senior from Randallstown, Maryland, added another award by being selected to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team with teammate Jess Harlee. Harlee's selection to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team was her second consecutive selection.