ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Missouri State sophomore Tia Mays picked up a pair of Missouri Valley Conference post-season honors Thursday, with her selection as both MVC Newcomer and Defensive Player of the Year. Mays was recognized at the league's awards ceremony on opening night of the State Farm MVC Tournament at The Family Arena, after being selected for the two honors by the conference's head coaches, media members and sports information directors.

Mays was chosen for the awards after setting a school record with a league-leading 95 blocked shots during the regular season. The Des Moines, Iowa, product owns eight of Missouri State's top 15 single-game block totals, including a conference record-tying nine-block day against Arkansas State (Dec. 5). Mays enters the tournament third on both the MVC's single-season and MSU's career blocked shot lists. The 6-1 post also turned in a streak of 17 consecutive games of five rebounds or more and currently ranks second in the MVC in offensive rebounding (2.5 rpg).

Mays, who was named to the Valley's All-Defensive squad Wednesday, is the fourth Missouri State player to be tabbed as the conference's top defender. She joins Secelia Winkfield (1993), Lisa Davies (1998) and Carly Deer (2001) on the list of Lady Bears to be named MVC Defensive Player of the Year.

Additionally,  Mays is the seventh Lady Bear to bring home the league's newcomer of the year award. She joins Nanne Jackson (1994), Roshonda Reed (1996), Yen Quach (1998), Meg Tierney (2003), K.C. Cowgill (2004) and Maggie Dwyer (2008) as MSU newcomers of the year in the Valley.

Joining Mays as Valley specialty award winners announced Thursday were UNI's Jacqui Kalin, who was voted Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year, as well as Rawling's MVC Coach of the Year Tonya Warren of UNI and Freshman of the Year Carli Tritz of Creighton.

Mays was one of four Lady Bears who were named to 2010-11 All-Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball post-season teams Wednesday, headlined by Casey Garrison's third straight First-Team All-MVC selection. Additionally, Christiana Shorter was a second-team pick and Karly Buer earned a spot on the All-Freshman squad.

The third-seeded Lady Bears (21-9) will begin their quest for an unprecedented 10th MVC Tournament title when they face off against sixth-seeded Drake (15-14) Friday (March 11) at 8:35 p.m., at The Family Arena.

 -MSU-