Trio named all-conference, Nash crowned Defensive Player of the Year
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Highlighted by senior Cassie Nash bringing home the league's Defensive Player of the Year award, the Simpson College women's basketball team had three players honored on the 2022-23 All-American Rivers Conference Team.
A senior from Lincoln, Neb., Nash becomes Simpson's second Defensive Player of the Year recipient; Nicole Crisp was the first to earn the honor at the conclusion of the 2012-13 season. This is the second major award Nash has received from the league office this athletic year after being named the A-R-C's Women's Soccer Offensive MVP in November.
Anna Wanek, a fifth-year senior from Urbandale, Iowa, and Haley Rasmussen, a sophomore from Atlantic, Iowa, both landed a spot on the All-A-R-C Second Team. This is Wanek's second time in as many seasons earning second team honors, while Rasmussen picks up her first all-conference nod.
The Storm concluded the season with a 16-11 overall record. Simpson went on two six-game winning streaks throughout the year and compiled a 10-6 record against A-R-C foes, finishing the regular season ranked third in league standings. Head coach Brian Niemuth's squad led the conference in scoring offense (73.9 ppg), field goal percentage (43.9), and assists per game (16.07), while ranking second in 3-point percentage (31.9), 3-pointers per game (8.0) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.98).
Cassie Nash, Defensive Player of the Year
-Senior guard from Lincoln, Neb.
-Led the league with 77 assists (5.5/game), 60 steals (4.3.game) and a 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio in conference play
-Ranked second in the league with 15.6 points per game and a 57.1 field goal percentage in A-R-C action
-Recorded 104 steals overall, the highest single season total in program history, and became the program's career steals record with 285 and counting
-Passed out 118 assists overall including a school record 14 against Central on Feb. 18
-Named A-R-C Player of the Week twice and selected to D3hoops.com Team of the Week once
Haley Rasmussen, Second Team
-Sophomore guard from Atlantic, Iowa
-Ranked fifth in the conference with 14.2 points per game against A-R-C opponents
-Shot 36.1 percent from downtown in 16 league games (5th A-R-C), averaging 1.9 3-point field goals a game (t-3rd A-R-C)
-Shot 44.2 percent from the floor (12th A-R-C) and 84.1 percent from the line (4th A-R-C) in league play
-Overall, ranked second on the team with 357 points and had 48 rebounds, 40 assists, 29 steals and four blocks
-Notched 18 games with double-digit scoring including four with 20+ points
Anna Wanek, Second Team
-Senior guard from Urbandale, Iowa
-Averaged 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in A-R-C play, ranking top-20 in both
-Converted 31 triples in 16 leagues games (t-3rd A-R-C)
-Overall, scored a career-high 306 points and tallied 112 rebounds, 51 assists, 22 steals and two blocks
-Reached double figure scoring on 18 occasions and scored a season-high 21 points against Dubuque on Jan. 14
