ST. LOUIS - Southern Illinois junior forward Nicole Martin and Drake redshirt junior forward Sara Rhine were named to the Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball all-conference first team, the league announced Wednesday.
Martin (Jefferson City High School) and Rhine (Eldon High School) were two of the four repeat selections to the All-MVC first team. They were joined by Drake's Becca Hittner and Sammie Bachrodt.
In October, both Martin and Rhine were two of the five players named to the MVC preseason all-conference team.
Martin leads the Salukis with 14.8 points per game and is second on the team with 7.5 rebounds per game. She also tops the team in shooting percentage at 53.4 percent.
Rhine is second on the Bulldogs with 18.7 points per game, trailing only Hittner's 19.9. Rhine leads the team with 8.3 rebounds per game, as well as a 60.9 shooting percentage from the field.
Among the conference leaders, Rhine ranks second in scoring, second in rebounding and first in shooting percentage. Martin is sixth in scoring, fifth in rebounding and third in shooting percentage.
Both Drake and Southern Illinois begin play Friday in the MVC Tournament at Moline, Ill. Top-seeded Drake awaits the winner of No. 8 Indiana State and No. 9 Valparaiso, while sixth-seeded Southern Illinois will face third-seeded Northern Iowa.
The MVC specialty awards, including the player of the year honor, will be announced between Games 1 and 2 in today's first-round action.