GCU’s Samantha Murphy named first-ever PacWest Woman of the Year

HONOLULU, HI - Grand Canyon senior basketball player Samantha Murphy (Phoenix, AZ/Xavier Prep) has been named the first Pacific West Conference Woman of the Year.

Murphy was selected for the honor by the athletic directors of the PacWest during the annual league meetings in Honolulu June 6-8.

She now will be one of two PacWest nominations for the 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year award. BYU-Hawaii senior tennis player Hewenfei Elwen Li (China) also will be nominated for the NCAA honor after finishing as the runner-up during the conference voting.

The PacWest Woman of the Year honor is modeled after the NCAA Woman of the Year award that recognizes female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, community service and leadership. The NCAA award will be selected later this summer.

Murphy led all of Division II in scoring (24.6 ppg.) and free-throw shooting (91.4%) and was rewarded for her academic prowess by the College Sports Information Directors of America as an Academic All-America for Women's Basketball.

The two-time PacWest Player of the Year and four-time All-PacWest First Team selection was named the Division II Bulletin's Women's Basketball Player of the Year this season. In 2007-08, Murphy was chosen as the PacWest Newcomer of the Year.

This year the team captain led Grand Canyon to a No. 9 national ranking, the team’s first-ever berth into the round of 16, and the Antelopes fourth conference title in the last five years. She is Grand Canyon’s all-time leading scorer with 2,147 points.

Murphy has excelled off the courts as well, serving as treasurer in AzHOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) for the last three years while also participating in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes during her four years at GCU.

She was active in Serve the City from 2009-11, a rejuvenation project in the city of Phoenix, and participated in 'Lopes for Literacy in 2011, a reading program targeting local elementary school students.

Li helped guide the Seasiders to the PacWest title and the NCAA II playoffs by earning All-PacWest First Team Singles and Doubles honors for the fourth straight year. She finished the season 20-0 in singles competition, going 13-0 at third singles, 5-0 at second singles and 2-0 at first singles. She also posted a 22-1 first doubles mark.

In 2010 Li was named the PacWest Player of the Year and the Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the sport of women’s tennis.

During her career, Li served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (2008-10), volunteered at Kahuku Hospital (2011), and participated in seminars for elementary schools on health and wellness (2010).

She served as a volunteer teacher for community junior tennis groups for three years (2008-10) and for the USTA Jr. Team Tennis North Shore Oahu during that same time (2008-10). She also worked on a church/community farm to raise food for needy (2008-10).

Li served as Pre-Med Club Vice President in 2010-11 and was a three-year team captain (2009-11) for the Seasiders on the court. She was a NAMI volunteer counselor who responded to calls dealing with mental illness this past year, while in 2009 she was a SAAC service project group leader.

Li boasted a double-major as an undergraduate in biology pre-professional and in exercise sport science. She was named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Women's At-Large Second Team District VIII in 2009; became a Phi Kappa Phi member for being in the Top 10 of her senior class; and graduated Magna Cum Laude this spring.

In 2008, Li was named the NCAA Division II ITA West Region and National Rookie of the Year, while she is presently ranked fourth in Division II in singles competition and first in doubles. She was recently named the 2011 NCAA Division II ITA West Region and National Senior of the Year Award.