Shafir Named Regional Finalist for WBCA Coaches All-America Team - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

Shafir Named Regional Finalist for WBCA Coaches All-America Team

Senior Naama Shafir has been selected as one of 52 regional finalists for the 2013 WBCA Coaches' All-America Team for NCAA Divison I. Shafir is earning this prestigious postseason accolade for a second time in the last three seasons. She is also the second UT player to be honored by the WBCA, as Tanika Mays was also a regional honoree in 2009-10.

The selection committee uses an equation to determine a fair number of nominees from each region. The number of Division I institutions in each region is divided by the number of Division I institutions overall to determine a percentage for each region. This percentage is then multiplied by 52 (the total number of desired finalists) to get the number of finalists for each region.

The 2013 WBCA Division I Coaches' All-America 10-member team will be announced on Saturday, April 6 at 1:10 p.m. (CT) during the NCAA® Women's Final Four® Super Saturday festivities in New Orleans Arena.

Shafir is one of four student-athletes recognized from Region 4. The four-time All-Mid-American Conference recipient is joined by fellow league players Crystal Bradford from Central Michigan and Courtney Osborn from Miami. Also representing Region 4 is Jerica Coley from Florida International, Ebony Rowe from Middle Tennessee State and Keena Mays from Southern Methodist.

Shafir is currently averaging a squad-best 12.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, a team-high 4.7 assists and 1.8 steals in 29.9 minutes per game. The 2012-13 first-team All-MAC honoree ranks third in the league in assist/turnover ratio (1.8) and helpers, fourth in free throw percentage (79.8%, 87-of-109), eighth in scoring, 12th in three-point field goal percentage (33.6%, 36-of-107) and thefts and tied for 13th in three-point field goals made (1.2).

The Hoshaya, Israel native has produced double-figure points a squad-best 22 times in 2012-13, including a season-best 29 points at Central Michigan on Feb. 24. Shafir has also poured in at least 20 points on four occasions this season.

In MAC contests, Shafir tallied a team-high 12.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, a squad-best 4.4 apg and 1.8 spg in 29.9 mpg.

Earlier this season, the runner-up for MAC Player of the Year became UT's all-time assist leader against Ohio on Jan. 31, passing Dana Drew (659, 1990-95). 

Shafir currently sits first in Toledo  annals in career helpers (710, third most in MAC history), minutes played (4,106) and games played, second in free throws attempted (683), third in steals (222) and free throws made (528), fourth in field goals attempted (1,428), fifth in points (1,833), seventh in free throw percentage (77.3%, 528-of-683) and field goals made (586) and tied for ninth in scoring average.

Shafir and the Rockets will participate in the WNIT for a fourth-consecutive season against Atlantic 10 foe Butler on Thursday, March 21. The tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Savage Arena.