WEST POINT - The Army women’s basketball team held its annual end-of-season awards banquet on Monday night at Kimsey Athletic Center where head coach Dave Magarity and the team reflected on the 2007-08 campaign and gave out several postseason awards.
Five major awards were on the docket for the evening, beginning with the Draper Memorial Award, which is presented to the team’s Most Valuable Player. This year, that honor went to junior guard Alex McGuire, a first team All-Patriot League selection and the team’s second-leading scorer. McGuire averaged 11.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. She started 29 contests and finished third in the Patriot League in free throw percentage (.798). Established in 1995, the Draper Award is officially given during graduation week.
The Col. Fredrick A. Mountford Memorial Award went to senior guard Anna Wilson. Given annually to the team captain, Mrs. Joan Finnegan, wife of Brig. Gen. Patrick Finnegan, the Dean of the Academic Board, has presented the Mountford Award for the past four years. The award is named in honor of Col. Fredrick Mountford, a 1909 West Point graduate who captained the baseball team while also lettering in football.
As a father of two daughters, he encouraged young women to participate in athletics, laying the groundwork for this award. In 1979, the Mountford family donated this leadership award to Army Women’s Basketball in his memory. Wilson, a unanimous choice to serve as the 2007-08 captain, played in 22 games as a senior and averaged just under eight minutes per contest.
The coaching staff selected freshman forward Erin Anthony to receive the Joy Swanson Award, which is in its second year of existence. Named in memory former Army assistant basketball coach Joy Swanson, who passed away in 2006 after a courageous battle with cancer, the award is presented to a true team player who shows leadership through determination, motivation, patience and selfless service to others on and off the court. Anthony led Army in rebounding with 6.3 per game, a number that landed sixth in the Patriot League. An All-Rookie Team pick, she added 6.4 points per game and played in all but two contests during a standout rookie campaign.
Junior forward Courtney Wright took home the second annual Maggie Dixon Award, named in memory of the 2005 Patriot League Coach of the Year, who passed away suddenly just one month after her first season (2004-05) at West Point was complete. The award is presented “in recognition of dedication and leadership to the Army Women’s Basketball Program.” One of Magarity’s top reserves, Wright finished the season ranked eighth in the Patriot League with 5.3 boards a game and averaged just under 17 minutes per contest. She also led the team with a .521 field goal percentage.
The final award of the evening went to Army’s top defensive player, senior guard Margaree King. The Jackson, Miss., native was named the 2008 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year in March.
The evening’s events also featured a season highlight video and remarks from the Class of 2008. The Black Knights lose four seniors to graduation this month, including four-time all-league player Cara Enright, but return three starters for the 2008-09 season.
Postseason Award Winners
Draper Memorial Award – Alex McGuire
Col. Fredrick A. Mountford Memorial Award – Anna Wilson
Joy Swanson Award – Erin Anthony
Maggie Dixon Award – Courtney Wright
Defensive Player of the Year - Margaree King
