Cleaves is All-GCAC for the fourth time
March 3, 2008

NEW ORLEANS — Jarryn Cleaves made it 4-for-4 Monday, becoming the third player in the history of Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball to be selected All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference four times.

Cleaves is joined on the 15-member All-GCAC team by teammate Erica Turnbull, who made the team for the second straight year.

The league's 10 head coaches selected the team.

Cleaves led the Gold Nuggets during the regular season with 13.7 points per game. She is Xavier's career women's leader in 3-point field goals made with 272 and has helped Xavier compile a 103-29 record during her tenure. This season she is among the NAIA Division I leaders with 3.3 steals and 2.4 3-point field goals per game.

A 5-foot-8 senior guard from Memphis, Tenn., Cleaves joined Xavier alums Sherlett Hendy (1990-94) and Jackie Tucker (2000-04) as four-time all-conference selections.

Turnbull, a senior and a 6-foot forward/center from Baltimore, Md., averaged 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds during the regular season. She ranks among the national leaders with a .557 field-goal percentage.

Turnbull is the 16th Nugget to be named All-GCAC multiple times.

Regular-season champion Loyola and third-place Mobile each have three players on the All-GCAC team. Loyola's Trenese Smith is Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Mobile's Crystal Hutchinson is Freshman of the Year, William Carey's Shontae Kennedy is Newcomer of the Year, and Loyola's DoBee Plaisance is Coach of the Year.

Xavier — 24-6, No. 24 in the NAIA coaches poll and the No. 2 seed in the GCAC Tournament — will play its quarterfinal game at 7 p.m. Thursday at The Barn. The Nuggets' opponent will be Spring Hill or SUNO, who meet in a first-round game at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mobile, Ala.