Phoenix Suns honor GCU's Samantha Murphy for outstanding 2010-11 campaign

PHOENIX, AZ - Grand Canyon University standout and Daktronics, Inc., NCAA Division II National Player of the Year Samantha Murphy was recognized at Wednesday night's Phoenix Suns' game.

Murphy led the nation in scoring (24.6 ppg.) and free-throw shooting (91.4%) and was selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America as the College Division Academic All-America Player of the Year for Women's Basketball. She also was named the Division II Bulletin's Women's Basketball Player of the Year.

The senior, who earlier this season became a First Team Academic All-America and a three-time Pacific West Conference Player of the Year, led GCU to a No. 9 national ranking, first-ever berth into the Sweet 16 and fourth conference title in the last five years.

Murphy is the Antelopes' all-time leading scorer with 2,147 points.

She was acknowledged during a timeout in the first quarter of the Suns-Oklahoma City Thunder contest and fittingly received a thunderous ovation from the Phoenix crowd.