Woods and Smith recognized by MAC

By Northern Star Staff

The Mid-American Conference announced Tuesday that women’s basketball players senior forward Kelly Smith and junior guard Courtney Woods earned All-Conference honors.

Woods was named first-team All-MAC, while Smith earned honorable mention accolades. Woods led the league in scoring, and Smith is now a member of NIU’s 600-rebound club.

Woods averaged nearly 22 points per game this season, which ranks No. 11 in the country and third on NIU’s single-season list for scoring average in a season. She became the first Huskie since Lisa Foss to record six 30-point scoring games in a single season.

“Courtney has had an unbelievable year,” said Head Coach Lisa Carlsen, according to NIU Media Services. “The evolution of her game, especially offensively, has been tremendous. I look forward to her continued development in preparation for her senior year.”

Woods was awarded the MAC Player of the Week four times and led the team in scoring 18 times this season.

Smith finished her Huskie career with 1,357 points and 623 rebounds, which ranks No. 16 and No. 18, respectively. She tallied nine 20-point performances this year.

“Kelly’s senior year has been her best,” Carlsen said, according to NIU Media Services. “She put up some very impressive numbers against some great competition. She will be missed next season.”

Woods is the second Huskie to be named to the first-team All-MAC selection in Carlsen’s three-year tenure at NIU.