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From VCSU Athletics 

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSUAthletics.com) – Valley City State University women’s basketball players Ashlyn DiemertAdriana TorresTaryn Dieterle and Allie Critchley earned North Star Athletic Association postseason awards, the conference announced Friday evening.

Ashlyn Diemert was selected as the NSAA Freshman of the Year after making an immediate impact on the court for the Vikings. The guard from West Fargo, N.D. averaged 10.4 points per game and totaled 38 assists and 24 steals on the season. Diemert posted a season-high 21 points at Viterbo on Feb. 5.

Adriana Torres, a junior from Pelican Rapids, Minn., earned Second Team All-Conference with an average of 12.9 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game and 35 assists on the season. She was named NSAA Player of the Week on Nov. 8, and scored a career-high 25 points in a victory over Waldorf on Feb. 4.

Taryn Dieterle, a junior forward, was named Honorable Mention All-Conference this season. The Valley City native averaged 10.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. She grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds twice this season and hit a pair of game-winning shots during the regular season at Dickinson State and Bellevue.

Allie Critchley, a junior from Dilworth, Minn., was named the VCSU Women’s Basketball Champion of Character, which is presented to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character program: respect, integrity, servant leadership, sportsmanship and responsibility.

Dakota State (S.D.) won the North Star Athletic Association regular-season outright title for the second consecutive season. The Trojans were 13-1 record in the conference. Jessi Giles of Dakota State was selected as the North Star Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Year for the second straight year. Danneka Voegeli was honored as the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year. Asha Scott of Bellevue (Neb.) was named the NSAA’s Newcomer of the Year.

David Moe of Dakota State was voted as the North Star’s Coach of the Year award for the third consecutive year.

The following athletes were selected by the conference coaches as All-Conference First and Second Teams. There is a list of Honorable Mention team. Below are the complete listings of the North Star Athletic Association Women’s Basketball All-Conference teams and postseason awards.

2020-21 North Star Athletic Association Women’s Basketball All-Conference Teams & Postseason Awards

First Team All-Conference

Name   School Class Ht. Pos. Hometown
Jessi Giles $!^ Dakota State (S.D.) Senior 5-10 Guard Madison, S.D.
Jordan Zrust ^ Mayville State (N.D.) Junior 6-0 Guard Buffalo, Minn.
Courtney Olson ^ Dickinson State (N.D.) Senior 5-10 Forward Mandan, N.D.
Elexis Martinez @!^ Bellevue (Neb.) Senior 5-11 Forward Omaha, Neb.
Savannah Walsdorf #& Dakota State (S.D.) Junior 6-0 Forward Kiel, Wis.

Second Team All-Conference

Name   School Class Ht. Pos. Hometown
Danneka Voegeli & Mayville State (N.D.) Senior 6-2 Center Winona, Minn.
Brittiney Seymour + Presentation (S.D.) Junior 6-2 Center Ewing, N.J.
Adriana Torres Valley City State (N.D.) Junior 5-10 Guard Pelican Rapids, Minn.
Elsie Aslesen ^ Dakota State (S.D.) Junior 6-1 Forward/Center Howard, S.D.
Kaitlyn Kennedy Viterbo (Wis.) Junior 6-1 Guard Holmen, Wis.

NSAA Women’s Basketball Postseason Awards
Player of the Year:  Jessi Giles – Dakota State (S.D.)
Defensive Player of the Year:  Danneka Voegeli – Mayville State (N.D.)
Newcomer of the Year:  Asha Scott – Bellevue (Neb.)
Freshman of the Year:  Ashlyn Diemert – Valley City State (N.D.)
Coach of the Year:  David Moe – Dakota State (S.D.)

NSAA Women’s Basketball Honorable Mention
Asha Scott – Bellevue (Neb.)
Kailyn Groves – Dickinson State (N.D.)
Tina Lair-VanMeter – Waldorf (Iowa)
Faith Ross – Bellevue (Neb.)
Lexi Robson – Dakota State (S.D.)
Taryn Dieterle – Valley City State (N.D.)

NSAA Women’s Basketball Champions of Character recipients
Bellevue (Neb.) – Meleah Turner
Dakota State (S.D.) – Cheylee Nagel
Dickinson State (N.D.) – Luisa Popp
Mayville State (N.D.) – Steph Miller
Presentation (S.D.) – Jordan Kulczyk
Valley City State (N.D.) – Allie Critchley
Viterbo (Wis.) – Justyne Burgess
Waldorf (Iowa) – Elizabeth Garza