Stonewall Named USBWA Honorable Mention All-America
From DePaulBlueDemons.com
CHICAGO – The postseason accolades keep on coming for DePaul's All-BIG EAST standout
Chante Stonewall.
On Monday, Stonewall was named to her third All-America team as an honorable mention selection in U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) balloting.
This follows up her previous honors as an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America along with CoSIDA Academic All-America.
The USBWA All-America First Team is headed by a pair of Oregon stars in reigning Player of the Year Sabrina Ionescu and 6-foot, 4-inch teammate Ruthy Hebard. Rounding out the first team are Baylor's 6-4 forward Lauren Cox, 6-2 Rhyne Howard of Kentucky and Megan Walker of Connecticut.
The second team consists of 6-5 Aliyah Boston of South Carolina, Oregon's 6-4 Satou Sabally and a trio of talented guards in Chennedy Carter of Texas A&M, Dana Evans of Louisville and Aari McDonald of Arizona.
Voted onto the third team are 6-5 Elisa Cunane of North Carolina State, UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere and guards Kaila Charles of Maryland, Kathleen Doyle of Iowa, Halley Gorecki of Duke and Tyasha Harris of South Carolina.
The multi-dimensional Stonewall led No. 15/14 DePaul to a 28-5 record, a three-peat BIG EAST tournament championship and the sixth BIG EAST regular-season title in the last seven years.
Stonewall has also helped coach
Doug Bruno's program advance to the NCAA tournament all four years of her career in Lincoln Park including the 2020 tournament that was canceled by the coronavirus pandemic.
This is the 44th time a DePaul women's basketball player has been named to an All-American team including the Associated Press, coaches association (WNBA), Basketball Times, College Sports Magazine, American Women's Sports Federation, Senior CLASS and the Successful Farming Magazine team.
What made Stonewall stand apart from many of the nation's leading players was her ability to excel on both ends of the court.
Whether with the basketball in her hands or chasing after it, Stonewall made an impact all 94 feet of the court for more than 33 minutes a game.
Offensively, she attacked the basket at the rate of 17.4 points and 5.6 rebounds a game and was No. 10 in the country in field goals, No. 12 in shot attempts and No. 24 in scoring.
The 6-foot, 1-inch forward was at the point of attack defensively triggering a vaunted full-court press that lifted DePaul to No. 2 in the nation in turnover margin and No. 9 in turnovers forced.
The Blue Demons forced 20 or more turnovers in 25 of their 33 games including 21 from legendary Connecticut. Opponents lost possession of the ball an average of 21.5 times a game.
It's no wonder the All-BIG EAST First Team selection and BIG EAST All-Tournament Team forward was also honored as the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year.
Stonewall's offensive consistency ignited the Blue Demon scoring engine that averaged 85 points a game---second in the nation to No. 2/2 Oregon. She was a double-figure scorer in 32 of the team's 33 games including the last 27 in a row on an explosive team that scored 90 or more points 10 times.
The Downstate Normal native who endlessly practiced the Kobe Bryant fade-away as a child scored a career-high 29 points and added 10 rebounds in an 86-76 victory at Seton Hall. An 89-83 win over a Miami (Fla.) team ranked No. 16-17 at tipoff was fueled by Stonewall's 27 points and seven rebounds.
She had 26 points in a huge BIG EAST win at Creighton at 25 points at No. 11/15 Northwestern and Loyola. One of her most complete efforts was the 23 points, 12 rebounds and five steals in a season-opening triumph over Miami (Ohio). She had 20 points and 14 rebounds in a home loss to Creighton.
If the NCAA does not grant an extra year of eligibility for seniors who competed in winter sports, Stonewall will finish as the No. 11 scorer in women's basketball history with 1,622 points.