CUSA Freshman of the Year Asia Boone
Boone Named CUSA Freshman of the Year, Headlining Liberty’s All-Conference Honors
3/11/2024 3:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty's Asia Boone was voted CUSA Women's Basketball Freshman of the Year, headlining five Lady Flames (Boone, Emma Hess, Bella Smuda, Jordan Hodges and Elisabeth Aegisdottir) who earned recognition from the conference on the eve of Liberty's CUSA Women's Basketball Championship debut.
Summary of Liberty's CUSA Honors
Freshman of the Year – Asia Boone
All-CUSA First Team – Emma Hess and Bella Smuda
All-CUSA Second Team – Asia Boone
Honorable Mention All-CUSA – Jordan Hodges
All-Defensive Team – Bella Smuda
All-Freshman Team – Elisabeth Aegisdottir and Asia Boone
Notable
Boone is Liberty's first conference freshman of the year since 2018 (Ashtyn Baker – Big South) and the first Lady Flames freshman to make an all-conference team since 2017 (Keyen Green – Big South second team).
This is the third time in the last four seasons Liberty has put two players on the first team all-conference squad.
This is the first time since 2017 multiple Lady Flames made the all-freshman team. That year, the trio of Keyen Green, Iva Ilic and Ola Makurat was named to the Big South All-Freshman Team.
Honoree Capsules (Organized Alphabetically)
Elisabeth Aegisdottir (Fr., F, Grindavik, Iceland) – All-Freshman Team
Aegisdottir was named Liberty's first CUSA Freshman of the Week on Nov. 13, following double-digit scoring efforts at Stephen F. Austin (career-high 12 points) and No. 13 Texas (10 points). She helped Liberty post a road victory at Louisiana Tech on Feb. 10 with a career-high 11 rebounds, the most by a Lady Flames true freshman since Jan. 31, 2021, when Bella Smuda had a dozen boards vs. Jacksonville. Aegisdottir is the Lady Flames' third-leading rebounder this season at 3.6 rpg.
Asia Boone (Fr., G, San Diego, Calif.) – Freshman of the Year, All-Freshman Team, All-CUSA Second Team
Boone has collected nine CUSA Freshman of the Week honors this season, which is second most in conference history (Rice's Jessica Kuster won 11 times in 2010-11). She leads CUSA freshmen in scoring (9.6 ppg) and three-pointers made (55). Boone has scored in double figures 13 times, topped by a 25-point effort at UTEP on March 2. That was the highest scoring effort by a Liberty freshman since Feb. 25, 2017, when Keyen Green had 26 points at Winthrop. Boone's 9.6 ppg scoring average is the highest by a Liberty freshman since 2016-17 (Green).
Emma Hess (Jr., G, Beavercreek, Ohio) – All-CUSA First Team
Hess has enjoyed a breakthrough junior season, ranking second on the team in scoring (career-high 13.2 ppg, No. 6 in CUSA) and hitting a program single-season record 72 three-pointers (No. 2 in CUSA). The CUSA Player of the Week on March 4 has recorded six 20-point games, including a career-best 30-point outing at Sam Houston on Jan. 20. That marked the first 30-point effort by a Lady Flame since Dec. 6, 2020 (Emily Lytle at Memphis). Also a member of the CUSA All-Academic Team, Hess tallied 24 of her 26 points during the second half of a Feb. 29 come-from-behind win at New Mexico State. That was the most points any Lady Flame has scored in a half since Nov. 20, 2006, when Megan Frazee poured in 31 second-half points at Virginia.
Jordan Hodges (Jr., G, Richmond, Va.) – All-CUSA Honorable Mention
Hodges has flourished during her first season as the starting point guard, ranking No. 2 in CUSA for both assists (4.5 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.11). She has scored in double digits 11 times, topped by a career-best 20-point effort during a Feb. 1 win over New Mexico State. Two days later, Hodges dished out a career-high and Liberty Arena-record 10 assists against UTEP. It was the first double-digit assist contest by a Lady Flame since Feb. 2, 2013 (Emily Frazier at High Point). Hodges recorded her first career double-double (15 points, career-high 11 rebounds) during a Feb. 22 home triumph over FIU.
Bella Smuda (R-Jr., C, Exton, Pa.) – All-CUSA First Team, All-Defensive Team
The CUSA Player of the Week on Feb. 5, Smuda leads the Lady Flames in scoring (15.0 ppg), rebounding (9.7 rpg), blocked shots (2.3 bpg), field goal percentage (59.0) and double-doubles (15). She ranks among the CUSA leaders in each of those categories, including No. 1 in rebounding and double-doubles, No. 2 in blocked shots and field goal percentage and No. 3 in scoring. Smuda has notched seven 20-point games with a high of 27 vs. UTEP on Feb. 3, helping her become the 21st member of Liberty's 1,000-point club. Her 15 double-doubles are the most by a Lady Flame since 2013-14, when Ashley Rininger finished with 16. Smuda's 9.7 rpg average on the boards is the highest by a Lady Flame since 2011-12 (Avery Warley – 11.5). Her 71 blocked shots are the most by a Liberty player since 2004-05, when current assistant Katie (Feenstra) Mattera had 80.
Summary of Liberty's CUSA Honors
Freshman of the Year – Asia Boone
All-CUSA First Team – Emma Hess and Bella Smuda
All-CUSA Second Team – Asia Boone
Honorable Mention All-CUSA – Jordan Hodges
All-Defensive Team – Bella Smuda
All-Freshman Team – Elisabeth Aegisdottir and Asia Boone
Notable
Boone is Liberty's first conference freshman of the year since 2018 (Ashtyn Baker – Big South) and the first Lady Flames freshman to make an all-conference team since 2017 (Keyen Green – Big South second team).
This is the third time in the last four seasons Liberty has put two players on the first team all-conference squad.
This is the first time since 2017 multiple Lady Flames made the all-freshman team. That year, the trio of Keyen Green, Iva Ilic and Ola Makurat was named to the Big South All-Freshman Team.
Honoree Capsules (Organized Alphabetically)
Elisabeth Aegisdottir (Fr., F, Grindavik, Iceland) – All-Freshman Team
Aegisdottir was named Liberty's first CUSA Freshman of the Week on Nov. 13, following double-digit scoring efforts at Stephen F. Austin (career-high 12 points) and No. 13 Texas (10 points). She helped Liberty post a road victory at Louisiana Tech on Feb. 10 with a career-high 11 rebounds, the most by a Lady Flames true freshman since Jan. 31, 2021, when Bella Smuda had a dozen boards vs. Jacksonville. Aegisdottir is the Lady Flames' third-leading rebounder this season at 3.6 rpg.
Asia Boone (Fr., G, San Diego, Calif.) – Freshman of the Year, All-Freshman Team, All-CUSA Second Team
Boone has collected nine CUSA Freshman of the Week honors this season, which is second most in conference history (Rice's Jessica Kuster won 11 times in 2010-11). She leads CUSA freshmen in scoring (9.6 ppg) and three-pointers made (55). Boone has scored in double figures 13 times, topped by a 25-point effort at UTEP on March 2. That was the highest scoring effort by a Liberty freshman since Feb. 25, 2017, when Keyen Green had 26 points at Winthrop. Boone's 9.6 ppg scoring average is the highest by a Liberty freshman since 2016-17 (Green).
Emma Hess (Jr., G, Beavercreek, Ohio) – All-CUSA First Team
Hess has enjoyed a breakthrough junior season, ranking second on the team in scoring (career-high 13.2 ppg, No. 6 in CUSA) and hitting a program single-season record 72 three-pointers (No. 2 in CUSA). The CUSA Player of the Week on March 4 has recorded six 20-point games, including a career-best 30-point outing at Sam Houston on Jan. 20. That marked the first 30-point effort by a Lady Flame since Dec. 6, 2020 (Emily Lytle at Memphis). Also a member of the CUSA All-Academic Team, Hess tallied 24 of her 26 points during the second half of a Feb. 29 come-from-behind win at New Mexico State. That was the most points any Lady Flame has scored in a half since Nov. 20, 2006, when Megan Frazee poured in 31 second-half points at Virginia.
Jordan Hodges (Jr., G, Richmond, Va.) – All-CUSA Honorable Mention
Hodges has flourished during her first season as the starting point guard, ranking No. 2 in CUSA for both assists (4.5 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.11). She has scored in double digits 11 times, topped by a career-best 20-point effort during a Feb. 1 win over New Mexico State. Two days later, Hodges dished out a career-high and Liberty Arena-record 10 assists against UTEP. It was the first double-digit assist contest by a Lady Flame since Feb. 2, 2013 (Emily Frazier at High Point). Hodges recorded her first career double-double (15 points, career-high 11 rebounds) during a Feb. 22 home triumph over FIU.
Bella Smuda (R-Jr., C, Exton, Pa.) – All-CUSA First Team, All-Defensive Team
The CUSA Player of the Week on Feb. 5, Smuda leads the Lady Flames in scoring (15.0 ppg), rebounding (9.7 rpg), blocked shots (2.3 bpg), field goal percentage (59.0) and double-doubles (15). She ranks among the CUSA leaders in each of those categories, including No. 1 in rebounding and double-doubles, No. 2 in blocked shots and field goal percentage and No. 3 in scoring. Smuda has notched seven 20-point games with a high of 27 vs. UTEP on Feb. 3, helping her become the 21st member of Liberty's 1,000-point club. Her 15 double-doubles are the most by a Lady Flame since 2013-14, when Ashley Rininger finished with 16. Smuda's 9.7 rpg average on the boards is the highest by a Lady Flame since 2011-12 (Avery Warley – 11.5). Her 71 blocked shots are the most by a Liberty player since 2004-05, when current assistant Katie (Feenstra) Mattera had 80.
Players Mentioned
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