Murray State University Athletics
Petty Earns 2008 Simmons Award
3/27/2008 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Shaleea Petty is this year's recipient of the Margaret Simmons Female Athlete of the Year Award. The announcement was made at the 20th annual Celebrate Women luncheon, held today at Murray State's Curris Center.
Petty, a senior guard on the Racer women's basketball team, led the Ohio Valley Conference with 2.65 steals per game and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.35, ranked fifth with 4.10 assists per game, and ranked 10 in the league with 0.84 blocked shots per game, despite her diminutive 5-foot-5 stature.
Petty was also a team leader on and off the court who, along with Alaina Lee, were "the engines of the team," according to former head coach Jody Adams. She was named to the All-OVC Tournament Team, helping Murray State to its first-ever OVC Tournament title.
"I was surprised," Petty said after winning the award. "It's a great honor; I couldn't be happier to be a candidate for it.
"I had a special relationship with every player on the team. I bonded with my teammates. My role was to communicate with them and help bring out the best in them, and that helped us come together and win the championship."
The award is named in honor of Margaret Simmons, a former track and field coach, cross country coach, assistant athletics director and administrator with Murray State. Simmons was on hand at the luncheon.
"She's a fighter on the court," Simmons said of Petty, "and she's a little bitty thing. If I were a track coach, I'd probably get her to high jump. For a little kid, she certainly can jump very well. Pound for pound, she gives a lot more energy than a lot of other people. She has a lot of energy."
Other candidates for the award were: Kara Carlile, soccer; Rebekah Clay, soccer; Tara DeMage, volleyball; Stefanie Kozuszek, rowing; Lacey Latimer, soccer; Jen Nowak, soccer; Laura Schroeder, track and field; and Bethany Yates, golf.
The luncheon coincides with March as "Women's History Month," as declared by Congress in 1987. Constance Alexander, a faculty scholar with the MSU English and philosophy department, read a poem and announced a book signing to take place on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Curris Center Stables for her publication, "Letters From Down Under." Aryeh Shell, a performance artist and community organizer, was the guest speaker this year, and spoke on reclaiming "her-stories," histories handed down through women from generation to generation. She also gave a performance of interpretive dance.
Other performers at the event included harpist Mary Grace Choukalas and singing performances by Anna Floyd and Rebbie Edmonds, all students at Murray State. Jessie Boyer and the Izdihar Dancers also gave a belly-dancing performance. Also, Jacqueline Hawes was awarded a scholarship from the Business and Professional Women.
