First-year guard Lavender Briggs has been named to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team becoming the 22nd player in program history to garner the accolade as the league office released its postseason awards Tuesday afternoon.
Briggs led the Gators in scoring at 14.8 points per game for the regular season becoming just the second Florida freshman in the last 20 seasons to accomplish the feat. Briggs’ regular season points per game average was the highest by a Gator freshman since the 1991-92 season when the program’s eventual all-time leading scorer Merlakia Jones averaged 15.1 in 27 contests.
Briggs is the first Gator to collect an SEC postseason honor since the 2016-17 season.
Leading the league in minutes played (34.6 per game), something an SEC freshman has not done in 20 years, the Utah native finished ninth in the conference in scoring and also finished top 20 in rebounding (6.3).
With seven double-doubles, Briggs has racked up the most by a Florida rookie since the 2000-01 campaign when Vanessa Hayden posted 11.
“We are very proud of Lavender’s recognition in making the All-Freshman Team. She is a tireless worker who is dedicated to becoming the best player she can be. This league from top to bottom is filled with talent at every position and in particular this year’s freshmen class, which was the best in the country,” said head coach Cam Newbauer. “Everyone on this team played a role in her success and I’m proud of the contributions this group has made. We appreciate the respect and recognition from our peers across the SEC.”
The five-star recruit scored 10 or more points in 14-straight games in a stretch, the longest double-figure scoring streak for the Gators since the 2000-01 campaign, and 15 times the six-foot-one guard led UF in scoring.
Named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Feb. 18, Briggs averaged 20.5 points per game and lead the Gators to wins over Ole Miss and Missouri. Briggs became the first Florida rookie to claim the award in over three years.
The consistency displayed by the freshman was remarkable as she tallied double-figure points in 25 of her 28 games played in the regular season.
Helping engineer two victories over AP Top 25 opponents during the regular season, Briggs registered a double-double in UF’s road victory at No. 14 Kentucky and scored 20 points in its win over No. 22 Arkansas.
Briggs and the Gators wrapped up the regular season with a 15-14 record, the program’s most wins since the 2015-16 season. Briggs’ impact along with three additional newcomers and improved play by key returners helped propel Florida to six conference wins, equaling its tally from the previous two seasons combined.
Cracking the program’s top 10 freshmen scoring list, Briggs has scored 413 points and currently ranks seventh with an opportunity to continue to climb the charts..
Florida, receiving a No. 10 seed and a first round bye in the SEC Tournament for the first time since that same campaign, is set to battle No. 7 LSU Thursday evening in Greenville. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. ET from Bon Secours Wellness Arena and the game will be broadcast to a national audience on the SEC Network.
First Team All-SEC
Alexis Tolefree Arkansas
Unique Thompson Auburn
Rhyne Howard Kentucky
Aliyah Boston South Carolina
Tyasha Harris South Carolina
Rennia Davis Tennessee
Chennedy Carter Texas A&M
N’dea Jones Texas A&M
Second Team All-SEC
Jasmine Walker Alabama
Chelsea Dungee Arkansas
Ayana Mitchell LSU
Khayla Pointer LSU
Jessika Carter Mississippi State
Jordan Danberry Mississippi State
Rickea Jackson Mississippi State
Mikiah Herbert Harrigan South Carolina
All-Freshman Team
Lavender Briggs Florida
Rickea Jackson Mississippi State
Aijha Blackwell Missouri
Hayley Frank Missouri
Aliyah Boston South Carolina
Zia Cooke South Carolina
Jordan Horston Tennessee
Koi Love Vanderbilt
All-Defensive Team
Que Morrison Georgia
Rhyne Howard Kentucky
Faustine Aifuwa LSU
Jordan Danberry Mississippi State
Aliyah Boston South Carolina
Jordyn Cambridge Vanderbilt
Player of the Year – Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year – Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
Defensive Player of the Year – Aliyah Boston, South Carolina
6th Woman of the Year – Chasity Patterson, Kentucky
Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Jordan Lewis, Alabama
Coach of the Year – Dawn Staley, South Carolina
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