Westmont's Tugce Canitez
After sewing up the Golden State Athletic Conference women’s basketball regular season championship last week, Westmont Women’s Basketball has received numerous awards from the conference.
Junior Tugce Canitez of Izmir, Turkey has been named the GSAC Player of the Year while head coach Kirsten Moore has received GSAC Coach of the Year honors.
Joining Canitez on the All-GSAC team are senior captains Katie Kittle of Colusa, California and Lisa Peterson of Citrus Heights, California. Junior Jillian Wilber of Fillmore was named a GSAC Scholar-Athlete.
“I’ve always said that individual awards are representations of a team’s success,” said Westmont head coach Kirsten Moore. “All of these awards are indications of the success we have had as a group. Every person has added to what we are doing for those honors to be given.”
Canitez led the GSAC in scoring, tallying 560 points (19.3 points per game). She was second in rebounding – averaging 10.3 per game – and fourth in field goal percentage at 50.4 (192 of 381). Canitez also ranked seventh in free throw percentage in the conference at 75.5 (163 of 216).
“Tugce possess so many different skills, which enables her to have the success she does on the floor,” said Moore. “She is not just a scorer; she is also an incredible rebounder and passer. She makes those around her better, she’s a good defender and she has a high basketball IQ and understanding of what is going on with the game. I believe the completeness of her game is why she was honored as the Player of the Year.”
In the Westmont record book, Canitez’ point total and scoring average ranks first in the Warriors’ season records. She also ranks first in free throws made (163), total rebounds (299) and rebounding average (10.3). She is currently second in field goals made, but needs just four more to tie Ali Mooty’s record of 196 set in 2006-07.
Canitez is the first Warrior from women’s basketball to receive Player of the Year honors.
Moore, who is in her seventh season at the helm of the women’s basketball program, led the fifth-ranked Warriors to a 26-3 record so far this season and a 16-2 mark in conference play. Her current career and Westmont coaching record is 138-73 (65.4%). This is the fourth time Moore has recorded at least 20 wins in a season and marks the fifth time she will lead the Warriors to the NAIA National Tournament.
“The coach of the year award is a tribute to our entire team of coaches,” said Moore.” I had such great help this year from Selena Ho who has been an Xs and Ox guru. Meghan Gnekow and Dani Russell have been such a great support for the athletes as well as supporting me in the things I need as a coach. I have been really blessed to have had an incredible staff this year.”
Moore is the second Westmont coach to receive the GSAC honor. Gregg Afman was named the GSAC Coach of the year for the 2000-2001 season.
Lisa Peterson was the second most accurate shooter in the GSAC, making 53.2 percent of her shots (125 of 235) from the floor and 83.8% of her shots from the free throw line. The post player was also fourteenth in scoring (11.7 points per game) and twelfth in rebounding (6.3 boards per game).
Peterson holds the Westmont record for career field goal percentage at 53.2 percent (248 of 466) and career free throw percentage at 83.6% (168 of 201).
“I couldn’t be more thrilled for our seniors to both be recognized,” said Moore of Peterson’s and Kittle’s honors. “They have put in an incredible amount of hard work beginning with the offseason in preparation for this year. They have performed on the court and have been incredible leaders both on and off the court. They have represented the best of who we are at Westmont and what we want to be about – their attitudes, sportsmanship, work ethic and unselfishness for the sake of the team. I am so happy they are being recognized as leader by being named to the All-GSAC team.”
Kittle ranks twenty-fourth in the GSAC in scoring at 8.7 points per game and eleventh in steals at 1.59 per game. The guard, who appears in the top-10 in 18 of 24 career record categories, joined the 1,000 point club on February 5 against San Diego Christian and has a current tally of 1,064 points – ninth best in Westmont history.
Jillian Wilber, a history major, was named a GSAC Scholar-Athlete. The honor requires a 3.5 GPA and is awarded only to those who are juniors or above in academic standing. Wilber holds a GPA of 3.56.
“I think one of the hardest awards to win at Westmont is to be named a GSAC Scholar-Athlete,” said Moore. “To have above a 3.5 GPA at Westmont while you are a student-athlete is an incredible challenge. Jill, who is our third captain, has been leading us both on and off the court. She is most deserving of that honor.”
The Warriors open GSAC Tournament play on Wednesday evening when they host the Mustangs of The Master’s College (12-18, 5-13 GSAC). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
