Allenbaugh wins top FSC honor

Lady Saints forward earns Conference Player of the Year

By Melissa Bear

PHOTO CAPTION: Lady Saints will depend upon her leadership as a senior next year to take on a tough NCAA Division II schedule

The Lady Saints basketball team ended their last season in the NAIA and the Florida Sun Conference with one player taking home the top award.

It was junior forward Jamie Allenbaugh who took home the top honor in the conference, being named player of the year, the first Lady Saint to do so in six years.

Allenbaugh, who transferred to Flagler as a sophomore, has proven to be a leader in her two seasons as a Lady Saint. Although this year was only her junior year, she looked at it as her last since it was her last opportunity to compete in post-season play.

She led her team and the conference in almost every category. She finished second in the conference in scoring, with 15.4 points per game, and her 45.5 percent field goal percentage led the conference She was also among the conference leaders in rebounding and free throw shooting percentage.

Allenbaugh peaked at the right time of the season. Her two Florida Sun Conference player of the week awards both came in the last two weeks of the season.

In the Lady Saints final game of the season, a heartbreaking last-second loss to Webber International in the conference semi-finals, Allenbaugh scored 31 points, 20 of which came in the second half.

“The ending of the season was unsatisfying, knowing that I may not ever be in a situation like that,” Allenbaugh said.

As she looks to her senior year, Allenbaugh’s goals are to have the same philosophy and motivation that has helped her to be successful in the past.

“I am going to go into next season with the mentality that it will be no different than this year and that every game will matter.”

Allenbaugh said that the disappointment of not qualifying for nationals coupled with her award has helped her to see that basketball is something she wants to play a significant role in her future.

“It made me realize that I want to keep playing after I graduate,” she said.

In the off-season, Allenbaugh plans to work hard to get stronger for next year, because the Saints’ schedule will be primarily NCAA Division II, and she wants to be ready to face stronger opponents.

“I have played Division II before (Flagler),” she said. “I’m really excited about the opportunity.”