March 31, 2009
NORMAL, Ill. -
For the second-consecutive season, Illinois State senior guard Kristi Cirone was named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press (AP) Tuesday. Cirone is the only Illinois State player to be honored by the AP and is the third Redbird to receive All-America recognition in two different years. She was one of 33 honorable mention selections.
Last season, Cirone became the first Illinois State player to be named an All-American by the AP. Her two AP honors and her honorable mention accolade from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) last season give her the most All-American honors in program history. She joins Cathy Boswell and Charlotte Lewis as the only players in ISU history to be named All-Americans in two different seasons.
Cirone won her third-consecutive Jackie Stiles Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year award this season, joining the award's namesake as the only players in the conference to achieve that feat. She also was named first team All-Valley for the fourth-straight season and to the Valley All-Defensive team for the third-consecutive year. She led the Valley in scoring this season for the first time in her career.
Cirone became Illinois State's leader in scoring, assists, three-point field goals and games started this season. She is currently third all-time in the Valley in scoring and second in assists.
The All-America honor is not the only one on the national level Cirone has garnered this year. She is a two-time WBCA Honorable Mention Player of the Month (December, January) and was a candidate for the WBCA State Farm Wade Trophy and the John R. Wooden Award, which are given to the nation's best Division I Player. Cirone is also a final nominee for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which is presented to the nation's best point guard.
Cirone leads the Redbirds (27-7) against Kansas (21-13) in the semifinals of the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Lawrence, Kan.
