Fertitta Honored a Big South Freshman of the Year; Causey Named to First Team

Radford, Va. . -Radford forward Corrie Fertitta (Roanoke, Va.) was name the 2004-05 Big South Freshman of the Year, while senior guard Taryn Causey (Collierville, Tenn.) earned First Team All-Conference Honors. Center Kelli Darden (Chesapeake, Va.) joined Fertitta on the All-Freshman team, while senior guard Jesse Brunjak (Ooltewah, Tenn.) was named to the All-Academic Team.

Fertitta becomes the third Highlander to earn this distinction and the first since 1996. She leads all Big South freshmen in scoring (7.0) and rebounding (6.1), ranking fifth in the Conference on the boards. She garnered Big South Freshman of the Week honors twice and has recorded double figures in rebounds four times, while posting two double doubles. She scored a career high 24 points at Liberty and has been in double figures on the scoring charts nine times.

Causey is averaging 14.8 points per game, leading the team in scoring, assists, steals, three-point and free throw percentage. She currently leads the Big South in assists (4.2), steals (3.0) and free throw percentage (.867), while she is third in scoring and fourth in three-point percentage (.363). She’s tied her career high in points three times with 23 and has posted six 20-point games. She becomes the first Highlander guard to be named to the first team since the 2000-01 season.

Darden is leads the Highlanders and is second in the Conference in blocked shots with 53. She is averaging 5.2 ppg and 3.8 rpg for the Highlanders, while shooting a team best 51.4 percent from the field. The four-time Big South Freshman of the Week, she ranks first in blocks (36) and second in field goal percentage (.548) in Conference only games.

Brunjak, who is graduating this spring with a degree in Media Studies and a minor in Sociology, is third on the team in scoring (7.6) and second in three point percentage (.355). She scored a career high 24 point vs. UNC Asheville, while tying a school record with six three-pointers in that game.

The Highlanders, seeded sixth, will take on third-seeded UNC Asheville on Tuesday, March 8 at the Justice Center at 7 pm in the first round of the Advanced Auto Parts Big South Tournament.