Oglethorpe sophomore forward Ciaira Hughes was named to the D3hoops.com All-South Region Third Team today by sports information directors from the region. She was the only sophomore-or-younger student-athlete named to one of the three All-South teams. This is her first career All-Region accolade.
Hughes, a Fayetteville, Ga., native, had a truly outstanding season for the Stormy Petrels, turning into one of the SAA's best interior threats. She finished first in the SAA in rebounding (11.3 per game), offensive rebounding (4.0 per game) and double-doubles (14); second in the league in scoring (17.0 points per game) and steals (2.3 per game); and third in field-goal shooting using NCAA qualification standards (49.7 percent) and in defensive rebounding (7.0 per game). She also finished fifth in the SAA in blocks (1.0 per game).
She was named All-SAA First Team for her work during the season, which included a pair of SAA Player of the Week nods, a D3hoops.com Team of the Week accolade, and a spot on the SAA All-Tournament Team. It was her second consecutive appearance on an All-SAA team after she earned All-SAA Honorable Mention status in 2013-14. She scored a career-high 34 points in the team's SAA quarterfinal loss to Hendrix, pulled down a career-high 17 boards four separate times this season, and made a career-high five steals three separate times.
Hughes is the first Stormy Petrel women's basketball player to earn All-Region recognition since the 2008-09 season, when Anna Findley earned second team honors and Katie Kulavic garnered a third team nod. Hughes is the fourth different Stormy Petrel women's basketball player to be named to a D3hoops.com All-Region team (Findley, Kulavic and Heather Francoeur were the others). This marks the sixth different time that a member of the program has earned such an honor (Kulavic and Francoeur earned two each).
Hughes is joined on the 2015 All-Region Third Team by Southwestern's Annie Bourne at the forward spot. Berry's Chanlir Segarra, Randolph-Macon's Sarah Parsons and Maryville's Mackenzie Puckett made the team as guards. Hughes is one of three SAA student-athletes to make an All-Region team, as Millsaps guard Velvet Johnson earned All-South First Team honors, joining Hughes and Segarra.
"Ciaira had a tremendous year for us," said Head Coach Alex Richey. "I am proud of her for all that she was able to achieve this year. She knows that, if she continues to work hard and improve this offseason, she has the chance to be considered one of the all-time greats to ever wear an Oglethorpe jersey."
Hughes and the rest of the Stormy Petrels finished 11-15 on the season, more than doubling their win total from the 2013-14 campaign. Their 6-8 SAA record put them in a tie for fifth in the conference standings. They'll look to improve upon that in the upcoming 2015-16 season.