Hunter Earns All-Region Second Team Honors

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 18, 2009

La Crosse, Wis. – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior forward Mackenzie Hunter of Eau Claire (Regis) has been selected to the D3hoops.com All-Central Region Second Team in a vote by the sports information directors in the region. She is one of five Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) individuals to be named to the all-region team. UW-Stout’s Julia Hirssig was a first team selection, while Hunter, UW-Eau Claire’s Heidi Arciszewski, UW-Stevens Point’s Britta Petersen and UW-Whitewater’s Tiffany Morton were second team choices.

The Central Region includes individuals representing the WIAC, College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, Midwest Conference, Northern Athletics Conference and St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Hunter is one of 42 finalists for the 2009 State Farm Coaches' All-America Team by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The team will be announced Thursday, March 19.

She was selected the 2008-09 WIAC Player of the Year in a vote by league coaches earlier this month. Hunter also earned all-conference first team honors, was named to the all-defensive team and selected the Judy Kruckman WIAC Scholar-Athlete.

Hunter became the first player in UW-L history to be named the WIAC Player of the Year and the first to earn all-conference honors all four seasons. She was also named to the 2005-06 and 2007-08 All-WIAC First Team and to the 2006-07 All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team. Hunter is the only player in school history to be named to the first team three times.

A starter in all 26 games in 2008-09, Hunter led UW-L with 20.6 points and 2.8 steals per game while finishing third on the team in rebounds (5.1) and assists (1.8). She scored in double figures in all 26 contests, including a career-high 32 points at UW-Stevens Point Feb. 18 and at UW-Superior Jan. 31. The 32 points is tied for fifth in single-game school history. Her 535 points this year is second in single-season school history. Hunter also led UW-L in minutes (32.5 per game), field goals made (195) and attempted (424), three-point field goals made (28) and attempted (70) and free throw shooting (88.0%) this year. The 88.0% free throw shooting ranks second in single-season school history. She is also third in single-season free throw percentage at 85.9% (55-of-64) set in 2005-06.

Hunter recorded a pair of double-doubles this year with 32 points and 10 rebounds at UW-Stevens Point and 27 points with a career-high 11 rebounds versus Bemidji State University (Minn.) Nov. 21. She finished with at least 20 points in 12 contests this year.

Named the MVP of the Wildwood Lodge Tip-Off Tournament at Concordia, St. Paul (Minn.) Nov. 21-22, Hunter was also selected to the Wartburg College (Iowa) AmericInn Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team Dec. 29-30.

A starter in 103 of career 105 games, Hunter finishes second in school history in scoring (1,526 points). She is first in school history in career free throw shooting (85.4%) and steals (224). Her 85.4% free throw shooting also tops the WIAC all-time list. Hunter is second in career starts (103) and free throws made (281) at UW-L while being tied for fifth in attempts (329). She also ranks fifth in career three-point field goals made (81) and sixth in attempts (212), fourth in career three-point shooting (38.2%), fourth in career field goals made (582) and second in attempts (1,292).

UW-L finished 17-9 overall this season, its third winning season in the last four years. The Eagles’ 17 victories are the most since 2005-06 (19-6) and the third-most in the last 25 seasons. UW-L was 9-7 in the WIAC in 2008-09.