Claire Lamunu’s incredible season with the Vanguard Lions has continued to be rewarded.
The Ugandan in her senior year was named the Women Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) player of the Year.
“The WBCA is pleased to name Claire Lamunu as the 2017 WBCA NAIA Player of the Year,” said Danielle Donehew, the Executive Director of the WBCA. “Claire has played an integral role in guiding her team to an extraordinary season, and is very deserving of this distinguished honor. The WBCA applauds Claire for her hard work, dedication and contributions to the game during the 2016-17 season.”
Lamunu was delighted with the Award and expressed her gratitude to teammates and coaches fro the season performance.
“I’m really happy and thankful to have been named the WBCA Player of the Year for the NAIA. I am honoured and I know I would not have been able to do this without the help of my coaches, teammates, and God,” she said as quoted by vanguardlions.com.
The former KCCA Leopards and Makerere forward was also voted Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Week five times before she was named Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
A WBCA staff member honored the WBCA @Play_NAIA Player of the Year at their banquet last night in Billings, MT. Congrats Claire! @VULions pic.twitter.com/XHPSaGf44p
— WBCA (@WBCA1981) March 15, 2017
Lions head coach Russ Davis was in full praise of Lamunu and said it was a well-deserved award for his star player.
“This is an exciting award for Claire and very well deserved. Her season and her stats match up with some of the best that we have had here at Vanguard. As great of a player she is on the court, she is even better off of it. Congratulations to Claire on this great accomplishment.”
Lamunu leads the country with 23 double-doubles and averaged over just over 22 points and 10 rebounds for the whole season. She was second in scoring, both in total points and points per game average, and she was third in total rebounds but led the nation in offensive rebounding.
The Ugandan was the engine that pushed Vanguard to being ranked as high as third in the nation and currently sits fourth after winning their 12th Golden State Athletic Conference Championship in the last 20 years.
The Lions finished 27-3 and an impressive 15-1 in the conference. They led the conference in scoring, scoring margin, defensive field goals allowed, offensive rebounds secured, assists, and steals.
Lamunu and the Vanguard Lions will take on Lindenwood Belleville Lady Lynx as the nationals get underway. The Lady Lynx are in the nationals for the first time.