Highlighted by Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year Daisha Bradford, SBC Sixth Woman of the Year Katlyn Manuel and All-SBC selection Jakayla Johnson, the ULM women's basketball team was well represented on the women's basketball 2023-24 All-SBC Team selected by the conference coaches, the league announced Monday. Bradford was also selected to the All-SBC Second Team.
With Bradford and Johnson earning all-conference recognition, it marks the first-time multiple ULM women's basketball players appeared on an All-SBC team in program history, and the first time more than one ULM player landed a spot on an all-conference team since 2001. Manuel became the first women's basketball in school history to win Sixth Woman of the Year accolades.
Bradford, a transfer from Clemson, was one of the most electrifying guards in the conference this season. The Mobile, Ala., native appeared on the SBC leaderboard in a plethora of statistical categories including fourth in scoring (19.4 points per game), third in defensive rebounding (5.7 defensive rebounds per game), third in 3-point field goals per game (2.3/game), fifth in assists (4.3 assists per game), seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.4), seventh in rebounding (7.5 rebounds/game) and 10th in free-throw percentage (78.2%). She also led ULM with 50 steals and reached double figures in all but three games, including a trio of 30-point games. Bradford was named SBC Player of the Week on Jan. 23 and earned LSWA Women's Basketball Player of the Week three times, the most out of any ULM women's basketball player.
Manuel, a three-year letterwinner at ULM, provided 10.2 points per game and 5.7 boards per game off the bench for the Warhawks this season. The Lawtell, La., native turned in three double-doubles and shot 52.7% from the field, the highest average out of any ULM player with at least 25 attempts. Manuel led the Warhawks with 30 blocks and ranked fifth in the SBC with 1.0 blocks per game.
Johnson, a junior from Clinton, Miss., was ULM's second-leading scorer and averaged 15.2 points per game, the ninth-highest average in the conference. Johnson reached double figures in 24 games and eclipsed the 30-point mark in two games. The Auburn transfer ranked fourth in the conference with an 83.6 free throw percentage and was the top free throw shooter for ULM. Johnson won LSWA Player of the Week honors on Jan. 29.
Together, the group helped lead ULM to the most wins in a single season since 2007-08 and led the Warhawks to their longest conference winning streak in 19 years. The team also earned a top-five finish in the conference regular season standings, doing so for the first time since 2010-11.
ULM will begin play in the SBC Women's Basketball Championship in Pensacola on Wednesday (March 6) at 2 p.m. versus the winner between No. 12 Georgia Southern and No. 13 Texas State.
2024 Sun Belt Women's Basketball End-of-Year Awards
Player of the Year: Abby Beeman, Marshall [GR | G | Ridgeley, W.Va.]
Defensive Player of the Year: Kaye Clark, Old Dominion [GR | G | Milwaukee, Wis.]
Freshman of the Year: Crystal Henderson, Georgia State [FR | G | Marietta, Ga.]
Newcomer of the Year: Daisha Bradford, ULM [SR | G | Mobile, Ala.]
Sixth Woman of the Year: Katlyn Manuel, ULM [JR | F | Lawtell, La.]
Coach of the Year: Kim Caldwell, Marshall
