March 8, 2006
St. Louis, Mo. -
Forward Holly Hallstrom and guard Kristi Cirone have been connected this year. Offensively, many of Cirone's 118 assists have led to Hallstrom's 376 points. Defensively, a large number of Hallstrom's 270 rebounds have produced outlet passes to Cirone, ISU's scoring and assists leader, to start the Redbird attack. Now, the Missouri Valley Conference has hooked them up again, this time with all-conference recognition.
Hallstrom, a 6-foot-2 senior from Moline, Ill., is a Second-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection. An honorable mention choice, Cirone is the only freshman among the 16 listed all-conference players and also is part of the five-member Valley All-Freshman squad.
Hallstrom is the Valley's No. 2 rebounder with 10.0 per game and No. 11 scorer with 13.9 per game. Her 11 double-doubles this season are the most by a Redbird player since 1993 and, in the Valley, trail only Drake's Jill Martin and Wichita State's Antionette Wells, who have 12 each.
The junior college transfer from Kirkwood CC in Iowa has 495 rebounds in two seasons at Illinois State. With five more, she would have 500 in 59 games--only Redbird All-American and USA Olympian Cathy Boswell got to 500 rebounds faster at Illinois State. Boswell's 500th came in her 56th college game in 1981. Only Boswell's 8.8 career rebounds per game are higher than Hallstrom's 8.5 career average.
Redbird coach Robin Pingeton appreciates Hallstrom's recognition.
"I'm really excited for Holly because there are a lot of great players in the Valley, and this goes to show how much the coaches and media appreciate what she does on the court," said Pingeton. "She is a very tough match-up for other teams at the No. 4 (power forward) position and certainly is one of the best rebounders I've ever coached."
Cirone is bidding to become the first player in Valley history to lead her team in scoring and assists as a freshman. Her 14.2 points per game--9th best in the Valley--and 4.4 assists--No. 3 in the Valley--top the Redbirds, who are 12-15 overall and finished the Valley season 7-11, the No. 6 seed in this weekend's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Springfield, Mo.
"Kristi's selection recognized the start of great things not only for her, but for Illinois State," said Pingeton. "Not only have we expected her to perform at a high level as our point guard, but also to be a leader for this team as one of our captains. I've challenged her from day one, and she has handled it great."
The 5-foot-8 former All-Stater at Chicago's Resurrection High School joins Corinne Vossel (1995), Jenny Schmidt (1996), Steph Reichle (2000) and Katie Donovan (2002) as the only Redbird players elected to the Valley's All-Freshman team. This year's other members are Wichita State's Whitney Rice, Drake's Jordann Plummer, Missouri State's Kayli Combs and Southern Illinois' Jasmine Gibson.
Melanie Boeglin, Indiana State's point guard who led the Sycamores to the regular-season Valley title, led the six-player first team which also included repeat selections Martin, Cassie Hager of UNI, Angie Janis of Creighton and Kari Koch of Missouri State, along with Evansville's Megan Liffick. In addition to Hallstrom and Wells, UNI's Tara King, Southern Illinois' Carlai Moore and Wichita State's Kiki Stephens were second-team selections.
Cirone was joined on the honorable mention group by Missouri State's Sarah Klaassen, Indiana State's Stephanie Lisch, Evansville's Rebekah Parker and Drake's Linda Sayavonghchanh.
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2006 All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team
Melanie Boeglin, Indiana State, 5-6, sr., guard, Terre Haute, Ind.
Cassie Hager, UNI, 6-7, sr., center, Perry, Iowa
Angie Janis, Creighton, 6-1, sr., forward, Omaha, Neb.
Kari Koch, Missouri State, 5-8, sr., guard, Elsberry, Mo.
Megan Liffick, Evansville, 5-10, sr., guard, Whiteland, Ind.
Jill Martin, Drake, 6-1, jr., forward, Norwalk, Iowa
2006 All-Missouri Valley Conference Second Team
Holly Hallstrom, Illinois State, 6-2, sr., forward, Moline, Ill.
Tara King, UNI, 6-0, jr., forward, Ottumwa, Iowa
Carlai Moore, Southern Illinois, 6-1, jr., forward, Kansas City, Mo.
Kiki Stephens, Wichita State, 5-11, so., Tulsa, Okla.
Antoinette Wells, Wichita State, 6-4, jr., center, Kansas City, Mo.
Honorable Mention
Kristi Cirone, Illinois State, 5-8, fr., guard, Chicago, Ill.
Sarah Klaassen, Missouri State, 5-9, sr., guard, Whitewater, Kan.
Stephanie Lisch, Indiana State, 5-10, jr., forward, Belleville, Ill.,
Rebekah Parker, Evansville, 5-10, so., guard, Silver Lake, Ind.
Linda Sayavonghchanh, Drake, 5-9, sr., guard, Des Moines, Iowa
2006 Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman team
Kristi Cirone, Illinois State, 5-8, guard, Chicago, Ill.
Kayli Combs, Missouri State, 5-6, guard, Branson, Mo.
Jasmine Gibson, Southern Illinois, 5-10, forward, Kansas City, Mo.
Jordann Plummer, Drake, 5-6, guard, St. Louis, Mo.
Whitney Rice, Wichita State, 5-7, guard, Tulsa, Okla.
2006 Missouri Valley Conference All-Defensive Team
Melanie Boeglin, Indiana State, 5-6, sr., guard, Terre Haute, Ind.
Cassie Hager, UNI, 6-7, sr., center, Perry, Iowa
Kari Koch, Missouri State, 5-8, sr., guard, Elsberry, Mo.
Linda Sayavonghchanh, Drake, 5-9, sr., guard, Des Moines, Iowa
Antoinette Wells, Wichita State, 6-4, jr., center, Kansas City, Mo.
