Hunter Earns All-America Honors for Second Time

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Holland, Mich. – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior forward Mackenzie Hunter of Eau Claire (Regis) has earned her second 2008-09 All-America Honorable Mention recognition. Along with being named to the State Farm Coaches' All-America Honorable Mention Team March 20, Hunter has been selected to the 2009 D3hoops.com All-America Honorable Mention squad. She is one 30 players honored by D3hoops.com, including one of five honorable mention selections.

It is the first two career All-America honors for Hunter. She was one of 31 honorable mention selections named to the State Farm Coaches' All-America Team.

Hunter was selected to the D3hoops.com All-Central Region Second Team earlier month. She was named the 2008-09 WIAC Player of the Year in a vote by league coaches. Hunter also earned all-conference first team honors this year, was named to the all-defensive team and selected the Judy Kruckman WIAC Scholar-Athlete.

Hunter became the first player in UW-L history to be named the WIAC Player of the Year and the first to earn all-conference honors all four seasons. She was also named to the 2005-06 and 2007-08 All-WIAC First Team and to the 2006-07 All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team. Hunter is the only player in school history to be named to the first team three times.

A starter in all 26 games in 2008-09, Hunter led UW-L with 20.6 points and 2.8 steals per game while finishing third on the team in rebounds (5.1) and assists (1.8). She scored in double figures in all 26 contests, including a career-high 32 points at UW-Stevens Point Feb. 18 and at UW-Superior Jan. 31. The 32 points is tied for fifth in single-game school history. Her 535 points this year is second in single-season school history. Hunter also led UW-L in minutes (32.5 per game), field goals made (195) and attempted (424), three-point field goals made (28) and attempted (70) and free throw shooting (88.0%) this year. The 88.0% free throw shooting ranks second in single-season school history. She is also third in single-season free throw percentage at 85.9% (55-of-64) set in 2005-06.

Hunter recorded a pair of double-doubles this year with 32 points and 10 rebounds at UW-Stevens Point and 27 points with a career-high 11 rebounds versus Bemidji State University (Minn.) Nov. 21. She finished with at least 20 points in 12 contests this year.

Named the MVP of the Wildwood Lodge Tip-Off Tournament at Concordia, St. Paul (Minn.) Nov. 21-22, Hunter was also selected to the Wartburg College (Iowa) AmericInn Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team Dec. 29-30.

A starter in 103 of career 105 games, Hunter finishes second in school history in scoring (1,526 points). She is first in school history in career free throw shooting (85.4%) and steals (224). Her 85.4% free throw shooting also tops the WIAC all-time list. Hunter is second in career starts (103) and free throws made (281) at UW-L while being tied for fifth in attempts (329). She also ranks fifth in career three-point field goals made (81) and sixth in attempts (212), fourth in career three-point shooting (38.2%), fourth in career field goals made (582) and second in attempts (1,292).

UW-L finished 17-9 overall this season, its third winning season in the last four years. The Eagles’ 17 victories are the most since 2005-06 (19-6) and the third-most in the last 25 seasons. UW-L was 9-7 in the WIAC in 2008-09.