EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - UW-Eau Claire women's basketball head coach Tonja Englund recently announced the team award winners for the 2012-13 season.
Sarah Bingea (Sr.-Delano, Minn.) was named the team's Most Valuable Player and Blugold Award winner. Bingea led the Blugolds in scoring this season with an average of 13.2 points per game (304 points in 23 games), a mark that ranked sixth best in the WIAC. On Feb. 9, Bingea reached 1,000 career points, just the 16th Blugold in school history to reach the mark. She also averaged 7.5 rebounds per game, which led the team and was third best in the conference. Bingea ended her career 14th on the Blugolds' all-time scoring list with 1,053 points and set school records in minutes (3,473) and average minutes per game (33.4). She was selected to the Capital One Academic All-America Third Team and was named a WIAC Scholar-Athlete. She was also picked to the All-WIAC First Team, named a Jostens Trophy finalist and was selected to the D3hoops.com All-Central Region Team. Previously, Bingea earned team Rookie of the Year honors in 2010.
Along with Bingea, Casteele Miller (Sr.-Stanley, Wis./Eau Claire Regis) and Leah Rempert (Sr.-Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger) were presented with Captains Awards.
Miller played in 22 games this year, starting six, and averaged 3.2 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. Her 3.2 points per game ranked sixth most on the team while averaging 11.5 minutes per contest.
Playing in at 26 games this season, Rempert started 12 and was third on the team averaging 7.5 points per game, 28th best in the WIAC. She finished the season with 24 steals and 25 assists while averaging 2.8 rebounds per game. Rempert was selected to the WIAC All-Sportsmanship Team this season.
Rempert and Courtney Lewis (So.-Prairie Du Chien, Wis.) shared Defensive Player of the Year recognition. Lewis led the Blugolds in field goal percentage shooting 47.8 percent (111-for-232), seventh best in the conference. Lewis was second on the team in scoring with 10.5 points per game, rebounding with 4.2 per game and with 61 assists. She ranked 12th in the WIAC in assists, 14th in scoring and 20th in rebounding. She received All-WIAC honorable mention recognition this year. A season ago, Lewis was the Blugolds' Rookie of the Year.
This season, Rookie of the Year honors went to Teenie Lichtfuss (Fr.-Oshkosh, Wis./Lourdes). Starting 21 games, Lichtfuss played in all 26 contests and averaged 7.4 points per game. She led the Blugolds in three-point shooting going 30-for-69 for an average of 43.5 percent, second best in the conference. Lichtfuss was second on the team with 32 steals and fourth with 31 assists. She also averaged 2.8 rebounds per game.
Kristin Sahr (So.-Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) earned Most Improved accolades. She played in 21 games and averaged three points per game, playing almost 10 minutes per contest. On Feb. 2 in a game at UW-River Falls, Sahr led the Blugolds in scoring with a career-high 23 points.
The Blugolds finished the season with an 11-15 overall and 6-10 conference record, in sixth place in the WIAC. They competed in the first round of the 2013 WIAC Championship.
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