Coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke and Rep. Harold V. Dutton, Jr.
Team members join Prairie View A&M administrators and Reps. Harold V. Dutton Jr., and Alma Allen.
(Austin)—The women’s basketball team at Prairie View A&M University was recognized before the floor of the Texas House of Representatives for its outstanding 2007 season. The recognition was sponsored by Rep. Harold V. Dutton Jr., of Houston, and held on the floor of the House of Representatives in the Texas State Capitol Building.
After enjoying the school’s first-ever winning season and winning a share of the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular season title—another university first—the Lady Panthers captured their first-ever SWAC tournament championship. The team earned an automatic bid and represented the SWAC in the 2007 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship.
In her second season as the women team’s head basketball coach, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke was named the 2007 SWAC co-coach of the year. Cooper-Dyke, former head coach of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and two-time WNBA most valuable player, was named the head women’s basketball coach at Prairie View A&M in July 2005.
Several players reaped post season and tournament honors. Gaati Werema was named SWAC women’s basketball freshman of the year and to the all-conference first team. Junior guard Shavonne Smith earned second team All-SWAC honors. Candice Thomas, a true freshman, was named the 2007 SWAC tournament MVP and to the all-tournament team and Werema was selected to the all-tournament team. Senior guard Angel Smith’s hard work in the classroom has paid off with her selection to the 2007 SWAC all-academic basketball team. 