Former Riverhawks Named 1st Team All Conference

Three former UCC Riverhawks (Mykiea Russell - Montreat College; Chelsey Christensen - Warner Pacific University; Gretchen Owens - Linfield University) have all recently been named 1st Team All Conference in their respective conferences. This was the second straight year that seniors Russell and Owens received this honor since transferring from UCC. Russell was also named as her conference's Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year.

UCC has long had the reputation of developing and enhancing strong offensive skills and this season once again proved that to be true as all three former Riverhawks lead their teams in scoring. Christensen and Owens also lead their teams in rebounding as well and Russell lead her squad in both assists and steals.

Mykiea Russell Named Player of the Week

Umpqua alumni Mykiea Russell, now playing at Montreat University, has been named the Appalachian Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the second time this season. Below is the press release from the AAC and can be found at AACSports.com

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Mykiea Russell of Montreat (N.C.) is the Appalachian Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.The 5-foot-2, senior guard from Los Angeles, Calif., helped the Lady Cavaliers to a pair of double-digit, conference victories last week. Montreat defeated Columbia (S.C.) 89-74 and Milligan (Tenn.) 81-70. Montreat is 14-6 overall and 7-4 in the AAC.This marks the second time this season Russell has won the award, having received it once before on Jan. 9. She joins Lindsey Waters of Union (Ky.) as the only repeat winners this season.Russell averaged 20.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 11.0 assists on the week. She netted only seven points against Columbia, but she tied her own school record for assists in a game with 13. Against Milligan, she added 34 points and nine assists. In addition, Russell was a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range and 17-for-17 at the foul line.On the season, Russell leads the conference in assists (6.25 per game) and steals (2.45 per game). She also leads Montreat in scoring at 14.45 points per game.

Congratulations Mykie!

Umpqua Alumni Has Monster Week

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Former Umpqua point guard Mykiea Russell of Montreat (N.C.) earned the Appalachian Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week award, the league announced Monday.

Russell had a solid all-around week, averaging 26.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists last week. The 5-foot-2 guard from Los Angeles, Calif., poured in 37 points in the 83-75 win over Virginia Intermont. The 37 points are the second most any Lady Cavalier has scored in a game. During the game, Russell poured in a school single-game record nine 3-pointers and dished out 10 assists for a double-double.

Montreat is 21-3 overall and 7-3 in the AAC.

Before going to Montreat, Russell starred at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon where she helped lead her team to a Region Championship,was named to the All Southern Region team and played in the NWAACC(Pacific Northwest) All Star Game.

Another Day Another Assist

When former Umpqua basketball player Micaela (Williams) Leinonen needed some help getting her mom's house ready to sell, it only took one Facebook post and one text message to gather some extra help. I saw the post on FB saying that Micaela and her husband Chris were coming to Roseburg and were gong to try and cram a week's worth of work into one weekend and so I sent out a mass text to the current members of our team. Even though it was the last minute Mykiea Russell, Sparkal Clark, Priscilla Walker, and Jameia McDuffy dropped what they were doing and went with Linda and I over to the house where we spent the day moving furniture and painting. It was great to work side by side and fun to listen to Micaela and Priscilla compare Umpqua basketball stories and experiences. Even though they played years apart, a stranger walking into the room would have thought they were teammates! Jameia thought that working together like that brought us all a little closer and suggested that we find a house to paint as a team bonding event next Fall. Working hard, working together, appreciating the past, and looking ahead to the future. . . .it was a good day!!