Mike Carey’s commitment and devotion to the West Virginia women’s basketball team continues to grow each year that he leads the program.
Carey just wrapped up his 15th year with the Mountaineers and he has no intentions of leaving the Mountaineers, or the North Central West Virginia region that he has called home for many years.
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The loyalty Carey has shown to the Mountaineers is not only seen at the present level, but the future as well. The type of player that Carey recruits to Morgantown usually shares the same characteristics that he exudes, personally.
Carey, like WVU men’s head coach Bob Huggins, is a no-nonsense, set in his way, fiery type of leader. What both of these men offer to their programs is unlike any other coach’s relationship with his or her own program. Both Carey and Huggins will not hold anything back and they lay out exactly what they expect of their players.
Searching for a second-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament in the 2016-17 season, Carey has attracted an extra piece from the junior college ranks. Not only does this player possess exactly what Carey is looking for, she does it better than anyone else.
Kristina King, a two-year player for Gulf Coast State College was named the Player of the Year of the Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association.
King is an inside-out type of player who stands at 6-foot-3. She is big enough to make her presence felt in the paint and quick enough to make an impact from behind-the-arc.
This past season she scored 18.8 points per game, with 2.1 steals, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists as her team finished with a record of 28-1.
“The WBCA is delighted to name Kristina as the 2016 WBCA Junior/Community College Player of the Year,”” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “Kristina has played an integral role in guiding her team to an extraordinary season, and is very deserving of this distinguished honor. The WBCA applauds Kristina for her hard work, dedication and contributions to the game during the 2015-16 season.”
King’s honors have expanded this offseason as she was named the Spalding NJCAA D-I Player of the Year, the top player of the Dan Olson Collegiate Girls Basketball Report and the 2016 Panhandle Conference Player of the Year.
What’s even nicer about this pick up is that King will not have to sit out a year. For the past few seasons, Carey has been building his roster with Division I level transfers.
King, however, has proven that she is ready to make an impact at the next level. With Carey’s track record of success and King’s ability and talent, the Mountaineers should continue to be one of the top team’s in the Big 12 Conference.