Tamara Nard and Skyla Knight named to NJCAA All-American team
After leading the Grizzlies to their third consecutive KJCCC East title and a return trip to the NJCAA National Tournament, sophomores Tamara Nard and Skyla Knight have been named to the National Junior College Athletic Association All-American team announced by the national office Tuesday afternoon.
"I am so proud of the two young ladies," said head coach Mike Helmer. "For them to be so successful in a year full of adversity and doubt, I couldn't be prouder and happier for them."
Tamara Nard, sophomore forward from Chicago, IL, will leave Butler as a two-time NJCAA All-American as she was an honorable mention selection a season ago and now, named to the Third Team.
Nard led the Grizzlies to a third-straight KJCCC East title and another trip to the NJCAA Div. I National Tournament. Nard averaged 12.8 points per game shooting 48% on the season. She averaged 7.7 rebounds per game and had 32 blocks on the season. Nard was a strong defensive presence inside all season long as Butler led the NJCAA in FG% defense keeping teams to an average of under 30% shooting all season long. She was selected as Co-Most Valuable Player in the Jayhawk conference as well as a First Team All-KJCCC selection this year. Nard has signed to play at the University of Houston next season.
Skyla Knight, sophomore transfer from Los Angeles, CA, led the Grizzlies in scoring this season averaging 14.6 points per game scoring with four 20+ point performances. Knight was second in KJCCC play in FG% shooting 50.6% in conference action. The sophomore transfer from Little Rock, averaged 3.7 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists to go along with her 2.8 steals per game. When Butler needed a defensive stop or a spark on the offensive side of the ball, Knight was the go-to player for the Grizzlies. Knight was the Grizzlies other First Team All-KJCCC selection after her stellar season in the purple and gold. Knight has signed to play at Ball State University next year.
Butler has now had a player earn All-American honors in each of the last four seasons. Mike Helmer has now coached 11 All-American in his 13 seasons as the head coach of the Grizzlies. Tamara Nard becomes the first two-time winner since Kyla Collins during the 2017-18 & 2018-19 seasons.
2020-21 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball All-America Teams
All-America selections are made by the NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS |
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| PLAYER | COLLEGE | POS. | CLASS | |
| Rebekah Dallinger | Miles (MT) | F | Fr. | |
| Nia Daniel | Gulf Coast State (FL) | G | So. | |
| Denali Hughes | Central Arizona | F | So. | |
| Kobe King-Hawea | Casper (WY) | G/F | So. | |
| Jane Asinde | Grayson (TX) | F | So. | |
| Hailey Atwood | Blinn (TX) | G | So. | |
| Daisha Bradford | Jones (MS) | G | So. | |
| Jashanti Simmons | Georgia Highlands | G | Fr. | |
| De'Myla Brown | Chipola (FL) | G | So. | |
| Chaylea Mosby | Three Rivers (MO) | G | So. | |
SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS |
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| PLAYER | COLLEGE | POS. | CLASS | |
| Chanaya Pinto | Northwest Florida State | F | So. | |
| Catarina Ferriera | Eastern Arizona | F | Fr. | |
| Moe Shida | South Georgia Tech | CG | So. | |
| Queen Ulabo | Barton (KS) | F | So. | |
| Awa Sidibe | Salt Lake (UT) | F | So. | |
| Kaye Clark | Trinity Valley (TX) | G | So. | |
| Jazmyn Turner | Wabash Valley (IL) | F | So. | |
| Blayre Shultz | Walters State (TN) | G | So. | |
| Gabriella Smith | Iowa Western | G | So. | |
| Natalia Otkhmezuri | Casper (WY) | G | So. | |
THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICANS |
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| PLAYER | COLLEGE | POS. | CLASS | |
| Abby Barr | Highland (IL) | F | Fr. | |
| Diamond Cannon | Columbia State (TN) | G | So. | |
| Nadechka Laccen | Tyler (TX) | G | Fr. | |
| Myia Yelder | Three Rivers (MO) | G | So. | |
| Kaitlin Burgess | Southern Idaho | G | So. | |
| Domenica Zamora | St. Petersburg (FL) | G | Fr. | |
Tamara Nard |
Butler (KS) |
F/C |
So. |
|
| Emma Florez-Pascual | Otero (CO) | F | So. | |
| Patience Williams | Florida SouthWestern | F | Fr. | |
| Ambah Kowcun | North Dakota SCS | G/F | Fr. | |
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICANS |
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| PLAYER | COLLEGE | POS. | CLASS | |
| Kryslyn Jones | Seminole State (OK) | G | So. | |
| A'nya Banks | Bishop State (AL) | G | So. | |
| Taliah Wesley | Andrew (GA) | F | So. | |
| Sierra Morrow | Seward County (KS) | F | So. | |
| Alejah Douglas | Western Nebraska | G | Fr. | |
| Jada Hood | Kilgore (TX) | G | So. | |
| Odeth Betancourt | Panola (TX) | F | So. | |
| Mahoganie Williams | Trinity Valley (TX) | P | So. | |
| NJ Weems | Moberly Area (MO) | F | Fr. | |
| Dais'Ja Trotter | Rend Lake (IL) | F | So. | |
| Je'Naiya Davis | Wabash Valley (IL) | G | So. | |
| Isis Smith | Eastern Arizona | G | So. | |
| Tijanae Simmons | Eastern Oklahoma State | G | So. | |
| Jiselle Woodson | Wallace State (AL) | G | So. | |
Skyla Knight |
Butler (KS) |
G |
So. |
|
| Japrix Weaver | Snow (UT) | F | Fr. | |
| Mikayla Etienne | Southwest Mississippi | G | So. | |
| Hayley Berfield | Iowa Western | G | So. | |
| Amani Brown | Vincennes (IN) | G | So. | |
| Paola Martinez-Zeno | Caldwell Tech (NC) | G | Fr. |
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