Kentucky’s Epps, Akhator named to All-SEC First Team
University of Kentucky seniors Makayla Epps and Evelyn Akhator were named to the All-Southeastern Conference First Team by the league’s coaches on Tuesday.
The Wildcats made up one-fourth of the eight-player unit. Only Kentucky and league champion South Carolina were represented by two players on the First Team. The Gamecocks selected were senior center Alaina Coates and junior forward A’ja Wilson. Wilson was named the SEC’s Player of the Year.
Epps and Akhator will lead Kentucky into SEC Tournament play on Friday. The Wildcats earned the No. 4 seed in the tournament and begin play in the quarterfinal round at about 2:30 p.m. at Greenville, S.C. The opponent for UK (20-9, 11-5) will be determined by games played Wednesday and Thursday in Greenville.
Epps leads Kentucky in scoring (16.9 points per game) and also is averaging 3.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds this season. Akhator averaged a double-double for the regular season, posting 15.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Akhator also leads the Cats in blocked shots with 24.
Robin Pingeton, who led Missouri (21-9, 11-5) to a third-place finish, was voted the league’s Coach of the Year.
All-SEC
As voted on by the league’s coaches:
First Team
Ronni Williams, Florida
Evelyn Akhator, Kentucky
Makayla Epps, Kentucky
Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
Sophie Cunningham, Missouri
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
A’ja Wilson, South Carolina
Diamond DeShields, Tennessee
Second Team
Katie Frerking, Auburn
Pachis Roberts, Georgia
Raigyne Moncrief, LSU
Morgan William, Mississippi State
Jaime Nared, Tennessee
Mercedes Russell, Tennessee
Khaalia Hillsman, Texas A&M
Curtyce Knox, Texas A&M
Danni Williams, Texas A&M
All-Freshman Team
Ashley Knight, Alabama
Jordan Lewis, Alabama
Jailyn Mason, Arkansas
Delicia Washington, Florida
Amber Smith, Missouri
Tyasha Harris, South Carolina
Kayla Overbeck, Vanderbilt
Erin Whalen, Vanderbilt
All-Defensive Team
Katie Frerking, Auburn
Caliya Robinson, Georgia
Raigyne Moncrief, LSU
Dominique Dillingham, Mississippi State
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
A’ja Wilson, South Carolina
Awards
Coach of the Year: Robin Pingeton, Missouri
Player of the Year: A’ja Wilson, South Carolina
Co-Freshmen of the Year: Delicia Washington, Florida; Amber Smith, Missouri
Defensive Player of the Year: Raigyne Moncrief, LSU
Sixth Woman of the Year: Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Katie Frerking, Auburn
This story was originally published February 28, 2017 at 10:36 AM with the headline "Kentucky’s Epps, Akhator named to All-SEC First Team."