The Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association has released its All-Region and All-Academic Teams and a total of 10 Georgia Northwestern student-athletes have been honored with accolades.
On the women's side, freshman Ashley Farrell was voted onto the GCAA Division III First Team. The rookie from Gordon Central High School averaged 12.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 steals a game for the Lady Bobcats this season.
Two more freshmen, Kambria Bankston (Chattooga) and Chelsea Ludy (LaFayette) were named to the Second Team. Bankston dropped in 6.3 points and grabbed 8.0 rebounds a contest to go with 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals. Meanwhile, Ludy put up 6.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals a game for the Lady Bobcats.
Bankston was also named to the five-player All-Defensive Team.
"For a freshman to make the first team is pretty unusual, but anyone who watched us play this season knows that Ashley deserved it," Georgia Northwestern head coach David Stephenson said. "And to have two more (freshmen) make the second team is big for them and for us. Those three make up a nucleus we are trying to build around for next year."
On the men's side, sophomore Veshawn Bell (Rome) was also picked for the First Team after scoring 13.2 points, grabbing 4.4 rebounds and adding 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals a game in the regular season.
Freshman Cameron Sherlin (Heritage) averaged 13.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals a game to earn Second Team honors, while sophomore Dustin Stanley (Northwest Whitfield, 7.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.1 blocks) and freshman Tyler Shropshire (LaFayette, 8.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.7 steals) were both named to the Honorable Mention list.
Stanley led GCAA Division III in rebounding and was tied for third among all GCAA players in Division I and Division III.
"I'm very pleased to see Veshawn make the first team because he does a little of everything for us," Stephenson said. "It was very appropriate that he get this honor. I'm also very happy for Cameron, Tyler and Dustin to be selected. They all deserved it."
The region coaches vote on the teams and head coach are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Farrell, along with teammates Holly Mount (Heritage) and Ali Lewis (Ringgold), and men's player Cody Cochran (Gordon Lee) were all named to the GCAA Division III All-Academic Team.
"That's another big honor," Stephenson added. "I'm very pleased with the numbers and the type of work these student-athletes are doing in the classroom."