2023-24 Women’s Basketball All-Conference Awards Announced

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The American Midwest Conference (AMC) has announced the 2023-24 AMC Women’s Basketball All-Conference teams, season award winners, academic all-conference team, and the AMC Men’s Basketball Champions of Character Team.

The Cougars claimed seven season award winners, while also placing 12 on the All-Academic team.

Baylie Combs was named to the Champions of Character Team. Each AMC school selects a member of their team to receive the NAIA Champions of Character Award. It is the student-athlete who they feel best exemplifies the NAIA ‘s five core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.

Sixth Woman of the Year:

• Lexi Miller (Sophomore l Macon, Mo.)  – Averaged 10.6 ppg and shot 42 percent from the field, totaling 286 points. Miller also recorded 3.4 rpg and 1.4 apg. Scored a career-high of 21 points with five three-pointers made against Harris-Stowe (Mo.) (2/22/24), grabbed a career-high of nine rebounds versus Missouri Baptist (1/11/24).

First Team All-Conference / All-Defensive Team:

• DeLaney Horstman (Junior l Mokane, Mo.) – Named All-AMC for the second time in her career. Leads the AMC in rebounding averaging 11.3 rpg, totaling 315 total rebounds. Ranks second in the AMC in blocked shots per game with 1.5 (42 total) and fourth in field goal percentage at 48 percent. Averages 15.8 ppg and has achieved 15 double-doubles on the season. Scored a career-high of 26 points versus William Penn (Iowa) (11/8/23), brought down a career-high of 21 rebounds against Ozark Christian College (Mo.), tied a career-best with five blocks versus Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.).

• Mallory Shetley (Junior l Bourbon, Mo.) – Named First Team All-AMC for the fourth time in her career. Averages 14.3 ppg for 401 total points, while shooting 43 percent from the field. Averages 5.6 rpg with 157 total rebounds, while posting 28 blocks on the season. Ranks fifth in the AMC in free throw percentage at 80 percent. Scored a season-high 33 points against Oklahoma City (12/5/23) and a season-high of 11 rebounds against Bethel (Kan.) (10/29/23).

Third Team All-Conference:

• Abby Backes (Junior – Tipton, Mo.) – Named All-Conference for the third time in her career. Ranks third in the AMC in assist/turnover ratio with 1.7. Dished out a career-high of 10 assists and scored a season-high of 18 points versus Hannibal-LaGrange (2/15/23). Averages 7.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 3.6 apg.

• Allison Stiers (Graduate Student l Hermann, Mo.) – Ranks fifth in the AMC in three-point field goals per game with 2.1, totaling 59 on the season. Scored a career-high of 30 points against, while also a tying single-game school record with eight three-pointers made against Friends (Kan.) (11/25/23). Brough down a career-high of 11 rebounds against Harris-Stowe (2/17/24). Averages 8.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, and 2.6 apg.

AMC Academic All-AMC:

• Mackenzie Hess
• Abby Backes
• Baylie Combs
• Carly Dorson
• DeLaney Horstman
• Mara Jensen
• Lexi Miller
• Paige Morse
• Mallory Shetley
• Jasmine Taylor
• Allison Stiers
• Madison Weydert

* To be eligible for Academic All-Conference honors, student-athletes must be in their second semester at their AMC institution, have at least a 3.0 GPA, and finish the year on the team.