Mocs Guard Caia Elisaldez Named SoCon Player of the Year
(gomocs.com) – The Southern Conference released its Women’s Basketball end of season awards and All-Conference teams on Tuesday afternoon with a trio of Mocs recognized. Caia Elisaldez was named Player of the Year and picked to the First Team, Gianna Corbitt was named to the First Team while also picking up Defensive Team honors, lastly, Izzy McPherson earned the nod on the Freshman Team.
Elisaldez is the first Moc to win Player of the Year since Taylor Hall won it in the 2013-14 season. It is the 11th time a Chattanooga player has won this award in total. Additionally, it’s the third year in a row that Chattanooga has placed a player on the All-Conference First Team, Defensive Team, and Freshman Team in the same season.
Elisaldez, who was named to the First Team last season, and Corbitt who was tabbed to the Freshman Team a year ago, earn All-Conference honors for the second year in a row.
Caia Elisaldez, Junior, Guard, Whittier, Calif. (Player of the Year, First Team)
Elisaldez ended the regular season on top of two offensive statistical categories, leading the league in scoring at 16.4 points per game, and in assists at 5.4 assists per game (28th in NCAA D1). Her ability to get downhill and score the ball, or pass it to an open teammates has made her a tough defensive assignment for teams all season. In SoCon games, Elisaldez averaged 18.1 points per game, ranking second in the conference. She also led the SoCon in minutes per game at 36.2.
Elisaldez has been a clutch player for the Mocs, hitting a game-winning free throw with under a second left in the game twice this season. The first being vs. Sacramento State in California over Thanksgiving, the other being at home against Western Kentucky in December, after tying the game with a layup while being fouled.
Additionally, she has scored 20 or more points in nine games this season. Elisaldez also has three double-doubles this season with points and assists. Prior to her securing her first one on 11/22 vs. Northern Kentucky, no Moc had posted a double-double with points and assists since 2006. Lastly, Elisaldez won SoCon Player of the Week twice this season.
Gianna Corbitt, Sophomore, Forward, Oakland Park, Fla. (First Team, Defensive Team)
Throughout the season, Gianna Corbitt has time and time again proved herself as one of the top players on the league, whether it be scoring the basketball or working the boards. She finished the regular season averaging 15.1 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game, both ranking third in the SoCon. Corbitt has also been an efficient scorer, leading Chattanooga in field goal percentage at 51.2% and 3-point percentage at 41.2%, with a team-high 47 threes on the year.
Like Elisaldez, Corbitt scored 20 or more points in nine games this year, including 30-point displays in wins over Bellarmine and at Furman. Her best rebounding performance came in the SoCon opener against Wofford, where she collected a career-high 16 rebounds. She has 10 or more rebounds in nine games this year and has accounted for six double-doubles. Her consistent stat lines led her to winning SoCon Player of the Week honors four times, the most among any player this season.
Defensively, Corbitt led the league in steals at 2.2 per game. This includes a career-high five steals in a home win vs. Western Carolina. Corbitt also led the Mocs in blocks with 20 on the season.
Izzy McPherson, Redshirt-Freshman, Guard/Forward, Pleasant View, Tenn. (Freshman Team)
After redshirting a year ago due to injury, McPherson has found her place in the Mocs’ starting lineup this season, scoring 7.2 points per game and grabbing three rebounds per game. She has been one of Chattanooga’s best shooters, knocking down 41 threes on the year and has five games this year with three or more made triples.
McPherson has scored in double figures in six games this season, including a stretch of three conference games in a row, capped off by a 20-point outing against Samford. In this game, she knocked down six triples, tying a McKenzie Arena record for most 3-pointers in a game by a Moc.
Back in November when the season was still young, McPherson hit a clutch 3-pointer against Northern Kentucky with 29 seconds left to put the Mocs in front 64-62, which is what the final score would read. Lastly, McPherson has contributed on the defensive end of the court as well, totaling 14 blocks on the season, which is second on the team. In four different SoCon games this year, McPherson has had two blocks.
SoCon Award Winners
Player of the Year: Caia Elisaldez (Chattanooga)
Freshman of the Year: Gabby Mundy (Wofford)
Defensive Player of the Year: Meghan Downing (ETSU)
Sixth Woman of the Year: Francie Morris (Samford)
Ann Lashley Inspiration Award: Jaila Lee (UNCG)
Coach of the Year: Brenda Mock Brown (ETSU)
All-SoCon First Team
Clare Coyle, Furman
Gianna Corbitt, Chattanooga
Caia Elisaldez, Chattanooga
Queen Ikhiuwu, Wofford
Gabby Mundy, Wofford
All-SoCon Second Team
Anala Nelson, ETSU
Meghan Downing, ETSU
Nahawa Diarra, Mercer
Jeni Levine, UNCG
All-SoCon Defensive Team
Meghan Downing, ETSU
Carmen Richardson, ETSU
Clare Coyle, Furman
Nahawa Diarra, Mercer
Gianna Corbitt, Chattanooga
All-SoCon Freshman Team
Rania Curry, Mercer
Francie Morris, Samford
Kaylee Yarbrough, Samford
Izzy McPherson, Chattanooga
Gabby Mundy, Wofford
