Wadsworth first ever Waubonsee women's basketball player to be named an NJCAA All-American
Waubonsee Community College’s Julianna Wadsworth was recently named to the NJCAA’s Division II Women’s Basketball All-American team, the first Lady Chiefs player to ever earn that distinction. The Oswego native was selected a Third Team All-American to headline Waubonsee’s post-season basketball awards. The Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) and the NJCAA’s Region IV Committee also recognized the Lady Chiefs’ historic season. Wadsworth and Bailey Klaas were both tabbed to the All-ISCC First Team and All-Region IV First Team, while teammates Sarah Grams and Brooke Harner were both named to the All-ISCC Second Team. Head Coach Jim Sury was selected the Region IV District L Coach of the Year after leading Waubonsee to the Region IV title and a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament for the first time ever. Men’s basketball players Josh Lynn and Jayquan Lee were each named to the All-ISCC First Team.
Wadsworth, a freshman from Oswego East High School, led unranked Waubonsee to an 11th place finish at the National Tournament. The 5’9” forward elevated her play throughout the season, culminating with a great post-season run. In the Lady Chiefs’ three games at the NJCAA Division II Tournament in Kansas, Wadsworth averaged 23 points per game after posting a 15.7 average during the regular season. She also averaged 7.8 rebounds, 4.5 steals and made 85 percent of her foul shots during the post-season. In addition, Wadsworth set a new NJCAA Division II Tournament record with 16 made free throws in Waubonsee’s 78-73 victory over North Arkansas. On the season she booked a team-leading 583 points, grabbed 259 rebounds and made 118 steals while shooting 75 percent (132 of 177) from the foul line.
Klaas, a 5’3” sophomore from Yorkville, averaged 13.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.3 steals per contest. The diminutive point guard led Waubonsee with 150 assists while averaging only 1.3 turnovers per game as the team’s primary ball handler. Klaas was second on the Lady Chiefs’ squad with 450 points, 93 free throws made, 159 made field goals, 78 steals and 39 three-point baskets. She nearly doubled her scoring average of 6.8 points-per-game from last season.
Grams averaged 11.8 points per game and had a team-leading 84 three-point baskets. The 5’4” guard also averaged 3.4 assists, handing out 117 on the season. The Kaneland High School product shot 40 percent from three-point range in ISCC play, and exceeded those numbers at the National Tournament. Grams nailed seven treys, one short of the tournament record, in the Lady Chiefs’ opening game loss to fifth-ranked Monroe (NY) Community College. In Waubonsee’s three tournament games Grams made 13 of 27 (48 percent) from beyond the arc.
At only 5’6” tall, Harner averaged 8.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while often defending the opposing team’s top scorer. The Kaneland High School graduate also averaged 3.4 assists and 2.1 steals per contest while shooting 91 percent from the foul line in ISCC play. Harner was second on Waubonsee’s squad with 90 offensive rebounds, 250 total rebounds and 117 assists on the season.
In his first season at the helm of Waubonsee’s program after taking over for long-time head coach Dana Wagner, Sury led the Lady Chiefs to the program’s first Region IV District L title and first ever appearance at the National Tournament. Sury’s squad missed out on repeating as ISCC champions when they lost a last second game to eventual co-champion Oakton 74-72 in the regular season finale. Waubonsee finished the season 21-14 overall, with the trio of sophomores winning an unprecedented 46 games the last two seasons combined.
Lynn, a 6’4” sophomore forward averaged 11.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The Waubonsie Valley High School graduate shot 55.3 percent from the field on the season and led Waubonsee in points (335), field goals made (151) and total rebounds (128).
Lee, the Chiefs’ 6’0” point guard, averaged 9.2 points, 3.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per contest. The Aurora West High School graduate led Waubonsee with 62 assists and connected on 81.4 percent of his free throw attempts in ISCC play.
