By Benny Rogers/TVCC Sports Information
Adut Bulgak has become the eighth women’s basketball player at Trinity Valley Community College to be named Junior/Community College Player of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
Bulgak, who recently helped the Lady Cardinals to their third straight national championship, received the award Monday night at the fourth annual WBCA Awards Show in Nashville, Tenn., site of the NCAA Women’s Final Four.
“Adut is a special one,” said Lady Cardinal head coach Elena Lovato. “She exemplifies a strong commitment to core values both on and off the court.
“As a two-time national champion and All-American, she naturally established herself as a leader and was named co-captain of the team this year. Her passion for success and diligent work ethic come second to none. She acts with purpose, desire, tenacity and perseverance.”
The 6-4 Canadian sophomore averaged 15.8 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game and hit 29 three-pointers in leading the Lady Cardinals to a 36-1 season and eighth straight national championship. She was named the Most Valuable Player at the national tournament, where she averaged 16.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in four games.
Bulgak, a two-time first-team WBCA NJCAA All-America selection, was also a finalist for the Player of the Year award as a freshman.
“Adut came to Trinity Valley to graduate and win championships,” Lovato said. “Not only has she come through on the court leaving her name amongst great company, she has also separated herself in the classroom and in the community.
“Our motto from day one has been ‘Leave A Legacy.’ I can honestly say that I am blessed to have been part of watching this kid do just that …Adut has left her footprints in the heart of Athens, Texas.”
Previous Lady Cardinals to claim the award were:
1988 – Portia Hill
1995 – Shalonda Enis
1996 – Tausha Mills
1999 – Yalisha “Boo” Barnes
2003 – LaKiste Barkus
2006 – Shannon Bobbitt
2012 – Sha’Kayla Caples
Other Player of the Year winners Monday night were Odyssey Sims, Baylor University (NCAA Division I), Lauren Battista, Bentley University (NCAA Division II), Nicole Moss, Thomas Moore College (NCAA Division III) and Nicole Ballestero, Vanguard University (NAIA).
The WBCA Players of the Year are selected by committees composed of WBCA-member coaches with the respective membership divisions.
The WBCA was founded in 1981 and promotes women’s basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, visit www.wbca.org.