March 20, 2008

Kansas State head coach Deb Patterson and six Big 12 women's basketball players have picked up All-Region honors from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

Patterson was named the 2008 Russell Athletic/WBCA Region 5 Coach of the Year after leading the Wildcats to the Big 12 regular season title.

Players named to the State Farm Coaches' Region 5 team were Angela Tisdale (Baylor), Shalee Lehning (Kansas State), Courtney Paris (Oklahoma), Andrea Riley (Oklahoma State), Danielle Gant (Texas A&M) and Takia Starks (Texas A&M).

Six of the eight members of the Region 5 team were from the Big 12. The 52 finalists from the eight Region teams will go before the selection committee where the list will be reduced to 40. These 40 finalists can come from any region. The State Farm Coaches' All-America Team will be announced on April 5 in Tampa, Fla., in conjunction with the Women's Final Four.   

Patterson is now a finalist for Division I Coach of the Year. The WBCA National Coach of the Year for each division will be honored on April 7 in Tampa, Fla.