Three from Arizona women’s basketball receive Pac-12 honors from media

The Pac-12 released its postseason awards as voted on by the media that covers the league on Tuesday. Cate Reese, Shaina Pellington, and Helena Pueyo all received recognition from the league’s press.

Both Reese and Pellington were named All-Pac-12. It was the fourth straight honor for Reese and the fifth selection to an all-conference team in her career. She was also on the Pac-12 All-Freshman her first year in Tucson. For Pellington, it was the first honor of her career.

Reese ended the regular season of her fifth year in Tucson with 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, and 0.9 steals per game over 150 career games. She started every one of the 150 games she played in.

Pellington has improved every year of her three years on the court for Arizona. She scored just 5.8 points per game on 39.5 percent shooting her redshirt junior year when she was coming off the bench for a team led by Aari McDonald. She took over her redshirt senior year and all of her numbers went up dramatically. At the end of the regular season of her fifth year, she stood at 10.2 points per game on 46.8 shooting, 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. For her career, she has a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio, but that improved to 2.2 her final season, ranking fourth in the Pac-12.

Pellington was joined by Helena Pueyo on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team. The tandem were first and third in the league in total steals. Pueyo ended up on top with 67 total steals. Pellington had 51, landing two spots behind her teammate. Pueyo was second in the league in steals per game with 2.3. Pellington stayed at third with 1.9 per game.

In Pac-12 play, Pueyo rose to first in the league in steals per game while Pellington was fourth. Both maintained their averages of 2.3 and 1.9 per game both inside and outside conference play.

Pueyo was honorable mention All-Defensive Team last season, but this is the first selection of any kind for Pellington.

Player of the Year and Most Improved Player both went to Utah’s Alissa Pili. Pili’s coach, Lynne Roberts, was the Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Defensive Player of the Year was awarded to Cameron Brink of Stanford. Oregon State’s Raegan Beers was both Freshman of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year.