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| Tameka Blue has been named
the 2002-2003 CCAA Freshman of the Year |
BLUE NAMED CCAA FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Cal State Dominguez Hills freshman guard Tameka
Blue has been named the 2002-2003 Freshman of the Year as
announced by the California Collegiate Athletic Association. This
is the first time in CSUDH history that a Toro has been named CCAA
Freshman of the Year. Blue, a freshman guard from Santa Cruz HS in
Watsonville, CA, finished the regular season 10th in CCAA scoring
(14.9 ppg), 4th in assists average (4.7 apg), 5th in steals (2.35
spg), 7th in three-pointers per game (1.9) and 9th in free-throw
percentage (79.5 %). In addition to Freshman of the Year honors,
Blue also picked up All-CCAA First-Team accolades. Blue is the
first player since the 1998 season and the eighth player in CSUDH
history to earn First-Team honors.
"Tameka is one of the most
talented freshman that I have ever had an opportunity to coach,"
Head Coach Van Girard states. "She gives us a great building
block to improve our program. I expect bigger and better things as
she matures in the conference."
Blue is the all-time leading freshman scorer in
Toros history, finishing the year with 387 points. She scored in
double-figures in 22 of 26 games, with four 20+ games and one 30+
game. She scored a career best 33 points in the Toros 72-56 upset
victory over Cal State Stanislaus. In the Toros season-high three
game-win streak with victories over SSU, SFSU and CSUS, Blue
averaged 19 points per game.
PERKINS CLOSES OUT CAREER
Senior Nakeisha Perkins (Tarzana, CA) closed out her four-year
career in a Toro jersey. Over a span of four seasons, Perkins has
seen action in over 100 games. She has scored over 500 points.
Perkins closed out her career as one of the top CSUDH rebounders
of all time. with over 722 rebounds to average 7.2 rebounds per
game, etching her name eighth all-time in the Toros Record Books.
She finished 2002-2003 with a team-leading 198 rebounds for 7.6
boards per game. She had 10+ rebounds in five games this season.
This season, Perkins was also one of the Toros most consistent
scorers. She scored 165 points this year and averaged 6.3 ppg. She
had 10+ points in five games and also posted two -double doubles.
Perkins was also strong on the block this past season with 10, the
third most on the squad.
TOROS ARE A TEAM OF THIEVES
Cal State Dominguez Hills is a team of thieves. The Toros took it
away 281 times this season, compared to their opponents who
tallied 197 steals on the season. Octavia Askew (Van Nuys, CA) led
the way with 63, while Blue was right behind her with 61. CSUDH is
averaged 11 steals per game. In fact, every Toro on the roster,
with the except of one, tallied at least one steal on the season.
CSUDH had a record year in steals as well,as the Toros broke the
school record for steals in a game with 25 in the game versus Cal
Baptist on November 30.
THREE IN A ROW...
The Toros 72-56 upset victory over Cal State Stanislaus was the
third straight win in a row for CSUDH, representing the longest
win streak in this season, and tied the Toros longest win streak
of 2001-2002.
HEAD COACH VAN GIRARD
Coach Girard completed his fifteenth season at the helm of the
Toros basketball program. In this time, Girard has posted a
191-209 (.478) record. He has led CSUDH to two consecutive CCAA
conference titles (1994-96), and has been named CCAA Coach of the
Year five times, including three in a row (1993-1996). Girard has
coached one All-American, two All-West Region players, three CCAA
MVP's and 29 all-conference players.This season, he guided
freshman Tameka Blue to a First Team All-CCAA selection and
Freshman of the Year honors. His first win at the collegiate
coaching level came on November 25, 1988, when he led CSUDH to a
82-68 victory over Incarnate Word.
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