Evans Named Kay Yow Scholar-Athlete of the Year
March 03, 2021 | Women's Basketball, Academic Services
Dana Evans is joined by Elizabeth Dixon, Mykasa Robinson, Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith on the All-ACC Academic Team.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After being named ACC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season on Tuesday, University of Louisville senior guard Dana Evans has been named the Kay Yow Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The ACC women's basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is named in memory of the legendary Yow, who won 737 games as a head coach while directing NC State to four ACC Tournament championships and the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team to a gold medal. Yow, who passed away in January of 2009, is also remembered for her leadership and courage in her fight against breast cancer.
"I am thrilled that Dana Evans has been named the Kay Yow Scholar-Athlete of the Year," said head coach Jeff Walz. "Beyond Dana's obvious talent on the basketball court, she has been named to the Dean's List multiple semesters, has been on the ACC Honor Roll every year and will be the first in her family to earn a college degree. I know Coach Yow would be proud, as are we. Congratulations Dana!"
Evans is the second Louisville player to win the Kay Yow award, joining Asia Durr who won the award in 2018 also after winning back-to-back ACC Player of the Year awards. Evans headlines a group of five Cardinals who were named to the All-ACC academic team, as she is joined by Elizabeth Dixon, Mykasa Robinson, Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith. Louisville and NC State tied for the conference lead with five selections each.
Evans is averaging 21.0 points per game this season, which ranks first in the ACC and 19th in the country, while leading the league and ranking second in the country with a 93.8 free throw percentage.
She is averaging 4.3 assists per game, which ranks sixth in the ACC, and in the win at Notre Dame on Sunday she became the sixth player in program history to eclipse 500 career assists.
Evans will graduate in the spring with a degree in sport administration and a minor in communication. She has a 3.493 cumulative grade point average, along with a 3.721 GPA in fall 2020. She is a six-time member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and four times has been named to the Dean's List. Three times she has been named to the ACC Honor Roll and a Red & Black Scholar Athlete. She was also named to the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society in 2020-21.
She was also named to the ACC All-Academic team following her sophomore and junior seasons.
Dixon is pursuing a degree in management. She had a 3.512 GPA last semester and a 3.355 GPA for her career. Three times she has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, she was named a Red & Black Scholar Athlete in 2020-21 and to the ACC Honor Roll in 2019-20. She was also named to the Dean's List in the fall 2020.
A candidate for the ACC Most Improved Player, Dixon has improved in several statistical categories. Her scoring average has moved from 4.4 to 8.7 points per game, while her field goal percentage has improved from 49.6 to 59.3 percent. She is also averaging 5.9 rebounds per game after averaging just 3.6 per game as a sophomore.
Robinson is pursuing a degree in exercise science, with a minor in sport administration. She had a 3.006 GPA last semester and a 3.281 GPA for her career. Five times she has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, twice she was named to the ACC Honor Roll and a Red & Black Scholar Athlete, and she was named to the Dean's List in spring 2020.
Yesterday, Robinson was named to the ACC All-Defensive team, cementing her spot as not just one of the best defenders in the conference, but in the country. In the win at Notre Dame, she drew an impressive five charges and has drawn 19 charges in 16 ACC games.
Smith is pursuing a degree in marketing. She had a 3.812 GPA last semester and a 3.71 GPA for her career. She has been named to the Dean's List and the Athletic Director's Honor Roll three times and was twice was named a Red & Black Scholar Athlete and to the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. She was also named to the ACC Honor Roll in 2019-20.
One of the best shooters in the league, Smith ranks fifth in the ACC with a 39.1 3-point field goal percentage, 11th with 45 made 3-pointers and 12th with 2.14 3-pointers made per game. She ranks second on the team with 11.7 points per game.
Van Lith is pursuing a degree in business and has a perfect 4.0 GPA. The freshman was named a Dean's Scholar, a Red & Black Scholar Athlete and to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
A member of the ACC All-Freshman team, Van Lith ranks sixth among ACC freshmen with 11.0 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. Her 35 made 3-pointers rank third among ACC freshmen. Early in the season, she had 20-plus points in back-to-back games against Eastern Kentucky and DePaul, becoming the first UofL freshmen with consecutive 20-point games since Myisha Hines-Allen did so in January of 2015.
ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were established in September 2007 to be awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in their respective sports. Candidates for the awards must have maintained a 3.0 grade point average for their career as well as a 3.0 for each of the last two semesters. The award is based 60 percent on academic achievement and 40 percent on athletic accomplishment.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one's academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team.
The ACC Honor Roll, which recognizes all conference student-athletes with a grade point average of 3.0 for the current academic year, will be released in July.
After claiming its fourth straight ACC regular season title, No. 5 Louisville (21-2, 14-2) will be the 1-seed in the 2021 ACC Tournament in Greensboro, NC. The Cardinals open play on Friday, March 5 at 12 p.m. against either 8-seed North Carolina or 9-seed Wake Forest.
For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.
The ACC women's basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is named in memory of the legendary Yow, who won 737 games as a head coach while directing NC State to four ACC Tournament championships and the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team to a gold medal. Yow, who passed away in January of 2009, is also remembered for her leadership and courage in her fight against breast cancer.
"I am thrilled that Dana Evans has been named the Kay Yow Scholar-Athlete of the Year," said head coach Jeff Walz. "Beyond Dana's obvious talent on the basketball court, she has been named to the Dean's List multiple semesters, has been on the ACC Honor Roll every year and will be the first in her family to earn a college degree. I know Coach Yow would be proud, as are we. Congratulations Dana!"
Evans is the second Louisville player to win the Kay Yow award, joining Asia Durr who won the award in 2018 also after winning back-to-back ACC Player of the Year awards. Evans headlines a group of five Cardinals who were named to the All-ACC academic team, as she is joined by Elizabeth Dixon, Mykasa Robinson, Kianna Smith and Hailey Van Lith. Louisville and NC State tied for the conference lead with five selections each.
Evans is averaging 21.0 points per game this season, which ranks first in the ACC and 19th in the country, while leading the league and ranking second in the country with a 93.8 free throw percentage.
She is averaging 4.3 assists per game, which ranks sixth in the ACC, and in the win at Notre Dame on Sunday she became the sixth player in program history to eclipse 500 career assists.
Evans will graduate in the spring with a degree in sport administration and a minor in communication. She has a 3.493 cumulative grade point average, along with a 3.721 GPA in fall 2020. She is a six-time member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and four times has been named to the Dean's List. Three times she has been named to the ACC Honor Roll and a Red & Black Scholar Athlete. She was also named to the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society in 2020-21.
She was also named to the ACC All-Academic team following her sophomore and junior seasons.
Dixon is pursuing a degree in management. She had a 3.512 GPA last semester and a 3.355 GPA for her career. Three times she has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, she was named a Red & Black Scholar Athlete in 2020-21 and to the ACC Honor Roll in 2019-20. She was also named to the Dean's List in the fall 2020.
A candidate for the ACC Most Improved Player, Dixon has improved in several statistical categories. Her scoring average has moved from 4.4 to 8.7 points per game, while her field goal percentage has improved from 49.6 to 59.3 percent. She is also averaging 5.9 rebounds per game after averaging just 3.6 per game as a sophomore.
Robinson is pursuing a degree in exercise science, with a minor in sport administration. She had a 3.006 GPA last semester and a 3.281 GPA for her career. Five times she has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, twice she was named to the ACC Honor Roll and a Red & Black Scholar Athlete, and she was named to the Dean's List in spring 2020.
Yesterday, Robinson was named to the ACC All-Defensive team, cementing her spot as not just one of the best defenders in the conference, but in the country. In the win at Notre Dame, she drew an impressive five charges and has drawn 19 charges in 16 ACC games.
Smith is pursuing a degree in marketing. She had a 3.812 GPA last semester and a 3.71 GPA for her career. She has been named to the Dean's List and the Athletic Director's Honor Roll three times and was twice was named a Red & Black Scholar Athlete and to the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. She was also named to the ACC Honor Roll in 2019-20.
One of the best shooters in the league, Smith ranks fifth in the ACC with a 39.1 3-point field goal percentage, 11th with 45 made 3-pointers and 12th with 2.14 3-pointers made per game. She ranks second on the team with 11.7 points per game.
Van Lith is pursuing a degree in business and has a perfect 4.0 GPA. The freshman was named a Dean's Scholar, a Red & Black Scholar Athlete and to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
A member of the ACC All-Freshman team, Van Lith ranks sixth among ACC freshmen with 11.0 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. Her 35 made 3-pointers rank third among ACC freshmen. Early in the season, she had 20-plus points in back-to-back games against Eastern Kentucky and DePaul, becoming the first UofL freshmen with consecutive 20-point games since Myisha Hines-Allen did so in January of 2015.
ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were established in September 2007 to be awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in their respective sports. Candidates for the awards must have maintained a 3.0 grade point average for their career as well as a 3.0 for each of the last two semesters. The award is based 60 percent on academic achievement and 40 percent on athletic accomplishment.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one's academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team.
The ACC Honor Roll, which recognizes all conference student-athletes with a grade point average of 3.0 for the current academic year, will be released in July.
After claiming its fourth straight ACC regular season title, No. 5 Louisville (21-2, 14-2) will be the 1-seed in the 2021 ACC Tournament in Greensboro, NC. The Cardinals open play on Friday, March 5 at 12 p.m. against either 8-seed North Carolina or 9-seed Wake Forest.
For the latest on Louisville women's basketball, visit GoCards.com, follow the team's Twitter account at @UofLWBB or on Facebook at facebook.com/UofLWBB.
