New Orleans, LA, United States – Xavier University of Louisiana women’s basketball standout Brittany Powell received a national award Tuesday. Now her coach is in line for one.

Powell — a 6-foot forward/center from Milwaukee and a graduate of Divine Savior Holy Angels High School — collected nearly two-thirds of the 1,041 votes cast online in the Heritage Sports Radio Network National Player of the Year fan poll for Division II women.

Powell finished with 678 votes, well ahead of Fort Valley State’s Takesha Riggs (253) and Virginia Union’s Tonaye Smith (110).

Powell was the HSRN Division II Player of the Week four times during the 2009-10 season.


Online voting began Tuesday and will conclude Monday (April 5) for HSRN National Coach of the Year awards for Division I and II men and women.

The other D-II women’s nominees are Virginia State’s James Hill and Fort Valley State’s Lonnie Bartley.

HSRN’s online fan polls honor male and female student-athletes and coaches at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Division II in this voting encompasses HBCUs which are not in NCAA Division I. That’s why Xavier, which competes in the NAIA, is included with Division II nominees.