Tulane wins four women’s basketball postseason awards from The American

Krystal Freeman was named Second Team All-Conference and Most Improved Player

NEW ORLEANS – The Tulane women’s basketball team earned four different postseason awards from the American Athletic Conference as the league announced its honors on Friday morning.

Sophomore Krystal Freeman cleaned up, winning the conference’s Most Improved Player Award and also earning a spot on the All-Conference Second Team. Sophomore Sierra Cheatham earned the Ambassador Award, and freshman Dynah Jones was named to the league’s All-Freshman Team.

Freeman was undeniably a candidate for The American’s Most Improved Player Award this season, and the league agreed. Averaging 1.9 points and 1.9 rebounds per game as a freshman, she has improved those numbers to 14.3 and 7.4, respectively, leading Tulane in both categories.

She compiled seven double-doubles this season after none as a freshman, and she was named the league’s Player of the Week twice and to the Honor Roll four times. Freeman recorded double-figure scoring in 24 of Tulane’s 29 games this year and has reached 15 points in 15 games.

Freeman is Tulane’s first conference Most Improved Player since Leslie Vorpahl in 2015 and the team’s first All-Conference Second Team player since Kolby Morgan last season.

Jones currently is third on Tulane’s roster with 7.7 points per game, had 2.6 boards per game and was third on the team 47 assists. In conference-only games, Jones is second on the team with 7.4 points per game.

She began to play a more crucial role on the roster in the second half of the season, starting eight total games and seven in conference play. In the league, she averaged 17.5 minutes per game and 7.5 points per game. She scored in double figures nine times including a 22-point effort against then-No. 18 Cal.

Jones is Tulane’s first member of the All-Freshman Team since Taylor Emery in 2015-16.

Cheatham picked up a prestigious award from the conference, as the Ambassador Award is given annually to the student-athlete who most exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court – ethical behavior, fair play and integrity – along with community service off the court.

Cheatham has participated in numerous community service activities off the court and is one of the most disciplined players on the court, placing second on the roster in fewest fouls per minute.

Off the court, she has been involved in multiple local charities and community service efforts in the New Orleans area. Cheatham has been a volunteer with the Special Olympics in town, with Anna’s Place – a local after-school program in the 7th Ward and Tremé neighborhoods – and is part of Tulane’s Leadership Team with its Team IMPACT member, Arabella.

Cheatham is Tulane’s first winner of the Ambassador Award.

The Green Wave will get back on the court Friday morning when they take on USF in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. central.