Women’s Hoops Headlines D3hoops All-Region 8 Honors

Smith coach of the year, trio named all-region

3/18/2025 11:47:00 AM

D3hoops Release

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - With the #d3hoops season winding down, D3hoops.com unveiled its All-Region teams Tuesday afternoon, March 18, which included several members of the Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team. Head coach Mia Smith was voted the D3hoops.com Region 8 Coach of the Year, while seniors Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East) and Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy) along with junior Ava Bardic (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson) earned all-region status.

Huber was named to the first team for the third straight season, while Powers and Bardic received second team status. Powers earned all-region status for the second straight year, moving up from a third team honor in 2024, while Bardic is a first-time pick. In all, six College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin student-athletes were included in the publication's postseason accolades. Smith received D3hoops.com Region Coach of the Year honors for the first time since 2012.

A unanimous First Team All-CCIW selection, Huber tied for the team lead with 15.0 points per game. She was the team's leading rebounder with 7.8 caroms per contest. The Lombard, Ill. native shot 50.1 percent from the field and 77.5 percent at the free throw line, while adding a career-high 72 assists. She was a two-time CCIW Player of the Week pick and also earned D3hoops.com Team of the Week honors once. Huber broke the program's all-time scoring record, finishing her career with 1700 points, and sits tied for second all-time with 884 rebounds.

Powers, a First Team All-CCIW selection for the second straight season, put together a strong senior season for the Green and White. She earned CCIW Player of the Week and D3hoops.com Team of the Week status during the year. Powers, who eclipsed 1000 career points in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, accrued three double-doubles and posted two 20-point games throughout the season.

An elite shot creator, Bardic averaged a career-high 15.0 points per game. She shot 46.2 percent from the floor and an efficient 35.5 percent from three-point range. Bardic was voted First Team All-CCIW and reeled in D3hoops Team of the Week honors once. She tallied seven 20-point games and led the Titans in scoring in 12 of 30 games. Bardic scored in double figures in 23 of 30 contests and surpassed 1000 career points during the 2024-25 campaign.

Smith, the CCIW's Beth Baker Coach of the Year, led the Titans to one of the best seasons in program history. The Green and White won its first 20 games before finishing the year with a 28-2 overall record. IWU claimed the CCIW regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

D3hoops.com will announce its national awards and All-American teams later this week.

Player of the Year: Olivia Rangel, G, Carroll
Coach of the Year: Mia Smith, Illinois Wesleyan
Rookie of the Year: Krystyna Manzanarez, G, Aurora

First team
Pos.	Player	School	Yr.	Hometown
G	Lauren Huber	Illinois Wesleyan	Sr.	Lombard, Ill.
G	Olivia Rangel	Carroll	Sr.	Franklin, Wis.
F	Grace Bezold	Hanover	Sr.	Covington, Ky.
F	Taylor Thiry	St. Norbert	Jr.	Casco, Wis.
C	Lexy Harris	Washington U.	So.	Marietta, Ga.
Second team
G	Ava Bardic	Illinois Wesleyan	Jr.	Lincolnshire, Ill.
G	Mallory Powers	Illinois Wesleyan	Sr.	Amboy, Ill.
G	Annette Ramirez	Westminster (Mo.)	Sr.	Sarcoxie, Mo.
G	Sadie Wurth	Transylvania	Sr.	Dixon, Ky.
F	Natalie Gricius	Carroll	Jr.	Oconomowoc, Wis.
Third team
G	Jessica Brooks	Washington U.	Sr.	St. Louis, Mo.
G	Kristin Bukata	Elmhurst	So.	Valparaiso, Ind.
F	Vivian Guerrero	Edgewood	Sr.	Lake Mills, Wis.
F	Bethany Lancaster	Webster	Sr.	Buffalo, Mo.
F	Margie Stevens	Wisconsin Lutheran	So.	Oneida, Wis.

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