March 2, 2009

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara sophomore forward Lena Gipson earned All-West Coast Conference honorable mention accolades; it was announced Monday by the league. Gipson started in all 29 games for the Broncos and averages 13.6 points and a league-best 10.0 rebounds per game.

The sophomore is ranked in two of Santa Clara's single-season categories. With 290 rebounds, she takes over the No. 3 spot this week from Amy Vanos' 1991-92 season of 287 boards. Gipson's boarding average (10.0) also ranks in the top-10 of the single season list. She is tied for No. 4 with Liz Bruno's sophomore season (1979-90).

She has produced double-digit scoring performances in 25 of the Broncos' 29 games and has had a double-double in 18 of SCU's 29 games. Since Day 1 of the 2008-09 season, she leads the West Coast Conference in rebounds, averaging 10.0 per game. She also ranks No. 1 in defensive rebounds with 7.24 per game.

The 6-foot-1 Gipson transferred to the Mission Campus after one season at Fresno City College, where she earned All-America honors in 2007-08 as she was the frontcourt star for a team that boasted a school-best 35-3 record. She led the Rams in scoring (18.0 per game), rebounds (11.0), blocks (1.9) and field goal percentage (.653). Gipson also averaged 2.8 steals per game. The Hanford native set school records at Fresno City by scoring 683 points on the season. She also set a school record for points and rebounds in a single game as she tallied 42 points and 29 rebounds against Merced College for the Central Valley Conference title.

Gipson and the Broncos begin play at the 2009 WCC Basketball Tournament on Friday, March 6 against the Gaels of Saint Mary's. Tip-off is scheduled for Noon at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.