By Nate Tenopir, Sports Editor
Despite not being eligible for post-season play, the UNO men’s and women’s basketball teams picked up awards last week when several members received All-Independent Honors. Four members of the men’s team, and three members of the women’s team, were named to the 2012 Independent Basketball All-Conference Teams by College Sports Madness.
Senior guard Mitch Albers was a first-team selection, junior forward Alex Welhouse and sophomore center John Karhoff were second team picks and freshman guard CJ Carter was named Freshman of the Year.
On the women’s side, junior guard Paige Frauendorfer was named a first-teamer, junior guard Jamie Nash made the second team and Cathleen Cox was picked as the Freshman of the Year.
This is the third all-conference selection for Albers who also garnered third-team All-MIAA honors last year and All-MIAA honorable mention in 2009. The senior from Papillion ends his career as one of the most prolific scorers in Maverick history.
Albers’ 1,790 career points are just 26 shy of all-time leader Dean Thompson. The senior played in 115 games for UNO, averaging 15.6 points per game, 47 percent shooting and 39 percent from three.
His career high for scoring came this year in an 83-81 win at Avila. Albers had 31 in the game, shot 11 for 15, 7 for 11 from the free throw line and had eight rebounds.
The senior scored in double figures in 37 straight games dating back to last season. Albers’ just missed extending that streak to 39 but was held to just eight points in UNO’s second to last game of the season at Cal State Bakersfield.
He ends 2012 ranked 36th in scoring in Division I, third all-time on the UNO field goal list and third on the three-point list.
Welhouse averaged 10.4 points in 2011/12, made 50 three-pointers, shot 39 percent from long range and had an overall field goal percentage of 41 percent. Karhoff averaged 12.9 points this season, shot 53 percent from the field and pulled down 4.5 rebounds per game.
Frauendorfer’s selection to the All-Independent First-Team was her second College Sports Madness’ honor of the year. She also was named the Independent Player of the Week for Jan. 23-29.
Frauendorfer led the Mavs with 13.1 points per game, 247 total rebounds and 45 percent shooting from the floor. The junior from Humphrey, Neb. ranked ninth in The Summit League in scoring, and first in rebounding.
Frauendorfer finished in the top ten in three-point field goal percentage (36.8), field goal percentage and scoring.
Nash’s selection to the All-Independent Second Team was also her second All-Independent award of the year. The junior was named Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 19-25.
Nash also earned MIAA All-Defensive Team honors last season. She was second on the team in scoring and led the Mavs with 6.1 assists per game.
Nash’s 4.1 steals per game was good enough to rank her third nationally and first in the Summit League.
Freshman Cathleen Cox played in all 27 games scoring an average of 6.9 points per game and pulling down 2.7 rebounds. She had a season-high 23 points against Missouri Western on Dec. 31, shooting 10 of 17 from the floor.
The freshman from Elkhorn scored in double figures eight times and had games of 20 plus points twice.
