ATLANTA (April 1, 2024) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club today announced the 2024 Georgia Women’s and Men’s College Players and Coaches of the Year award winners. The honorees are:
Georgia Women’s College Player of the Year
Terren Ward, Georgia Southern University
- Averaged 22.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season
- Led the SBC in double doubles, ranking 1st in rebounding and 2nd in scoring
- Ranked 11th in scoring NCAA Division I
- First Eagle to earn 3-time All-Conference selection since 2001 and fifth player from Georgia Southern to earn this accolade
- Finished Georgia Southern career as the third all-time leading scorer with 1,749 points and fifth all-time leading rebounder with 802 rebounds
- Scored 637 points this season, the second-most in a single season in Georgia Southern women’s program history
Georgia Men’s College Player of the Year
Zawdie Jackson, University of West Georgia
- Averaged 22.0 points, ranking 2nd in GSC and 10th in NCAA Division II
- Ranked 3rd in assists per game in GSC, averaging 5.5 assists, and 6th in NCAA Division II for total assists with 181
- Scored 725 points this season, ranking 6th in NCAA Division II
- 2024 GSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player
- 2024 GSC Player of the Year and First Team
- 2024 NCAA South Region Player of the Year and First Team
Whack Hyder Georgia Women’s College Coach of the Year
Deandra Schirmer, Valdosta State University
- Led Valdosta State to a 30-3 record and 23-1 conference record, finishing 1st in GSC and Division II (South)
- Set the record of 23 straight regular season wins, holding the longest active win streak in Division II
- Set a new school-record of 27 consecutive wins, third longest winning streak in the GSC
- Set the second longest winning streak in conference play with 23 wins in the GSC
- In her fifth season as head coach, fourth consecutive season for Lady Blazers to qualify for NCAA postseason
- 2024 GSC Coach of the Year – second coach in program history to win
Whack Hyder Georgia Men’s College Coach of the Year
Alfred Jordan, Clark Atlanta University
- Led Clark Atlanta to first SIAC Eastern Division Championship since 2010 and first NCAA tournament appearance since 2016
- Ranked 4th in preseason poll, finished 1st overall in SIAC with a 25-6 record and 16-5 conference record – improved from last season’s record of 8-20 overall and 7-17 in conference play
- Both SIAC Player of the Year (Chris Martin) and Defensive Player of the Year (Kharye Cayne) come from Clark Atlanta
- 2024 SIAC Coach of the Year
- 2024 BOXTOROW HBCU National Coach of the Year
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include AXIA Time, Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.
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Mallory Hadaway
Atlanta Tipoff Club/Naismith Awards
(256)682-0599