Grand Canyon's Samantha Murphy selected Daktronics, Inc., D-II National Player of the Year

Courtesy of Grand Canyon Sports Information

PHOENIX, AZ - After leading her team to a first-ever trip to the Sweet 16 and leading the nation in scoring (24.6) and free-throw shooting (91.4 percent), Grand Canyon senior standout Samantha Murphy has been named the 2011 Daktronics NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Year.

The team is voted on by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and was announced on Tuesday, March 22.

"I want to thank all my teammates and coaches," said Murphy on being named the best player in Division II. "I've learned so much playing in this program and I'm thankful for Grand Canyon giving me the opportunity."

The 5-8 guard and Phoenix native is Grand Canyon’s all-time leading scorer (2,147). She is a two-time Pacific West Conference Player of the Year and a four-time first-team all-conference selection.

Earlier this season, she was named Capitol One First Team Academic All-American with a 3.96 GPA in Pre-Physical Therapy. She has twice been named the PacWest Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Murphy helped lead GCU to a 29-3 season, a No. 7 national ranking, and first-ever berth into the NCAA II West Region title game. She set a new school mark for points in a season (786) and points in a game (49).

"This has been my favorite team of my four years at Grand Canyon," said Murphy. "It's great to have your last year be your best year."

Her 49-point performance came in a triple-overtime win over then-ranked UC San Diego. Against then-No. 10 Dixie State, in a key PacWest game, she scored 38 points, including 26 in the second half and 23 in the game’s final 11 minutes, leading the team back from a 17-point deficit.

She scored in double figures in all 32 games and scored over 20 points 25 times and over 30 points four times.

Along with points and free-throw shooting, Murphy averaged 5.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game. She shot 38.7 percent from 3-point range (86-of-222).

Murphy recorded three double-doubles. She had 17 points and 10 rebounds against Lake Superior State; 29 points and 10 assists against Texas A&M International and 29 points and 11 rebounds at Dixie State.

“It’s well-deserved,” said GCU coach Trent May. “She’s a great example of hard work paying off. She pursues excellence with great planning and great respect for the game, the program and her academics.”

Murphy is the first national player of the year for the women's basketball program. In 1996, men's basketball standout Horacio Llamas, who later played for the Phoenix Suns, was named the national player of the year.