The Central Methodist University community is beaming with pride over the selection of senior DaJonee Hale as National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Player of the Year.
The NAIA announced Hale’s award Thursday.
CMU President Roger Drake, a fixture at Eagle games all season and who traveled to Billings, Montana for to watch the team at the recent national tournament, was effusive with praise for Hale.
“NeNe is an amazing kid with an amazing story,” he said. “She is the kind of young woman who comes along once in a great many years. It has been a great opportunity to have her study and learn here at CMU.”
Hale, from Anchorage, Alaska, is the first NAIA National Player of the Year in Central Methodist women's basketball history. She was also a first-team all-American. This is her third all-American selection in her career.
The Eagles finished the season 28-8 after falling in the Elite 8, and 17-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. She helped the team capture the HAAC regular season conference championship, and the HAAC conference tournament championship.
Hale finished the season as the nation's leading scorer averaging 28.8 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game. She shot 46 percent from the field, and connected on 38 percent of her three-point attempts, whiles shooting 87 percent from the free throw line.
For more on Hale, go to www.cmueagles.com