ATLANTA --- On the heels of being named the nation's mid-major player of the year earlier this week, FGCU sophomore forward Kierstan Bell was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) on Saturday. She joins Keri Jewett-Giles in giving the Eagles back-to-back recipients.
 
"Kierstan is a tremendous player," FGCU head coach Karl Smesko said. "We knew she'd have a great season in our system, but she was just exceptional. She's been recognized a lot of ways, and I think she has the potential in the future to be a top five pick in the WNBA Draft when she decides to turn pro. Hopefully, she continues to develop her game and continues to grow."

Previously named an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American, Bell (Alliance, Ohio/Canton McKinley HS/Ohio State) had one of the best seasons of any player in the country by averaging 24.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.9 steals per game. She became the first player in ASUN history to be tabbed both the conference's player and newcomer of the year, earned a spot on the Wade Trophy Midseason Watch List and landed on the NCAA.com Starting Five twice. Along the way, she was a six-time ASUN player of the week and a conference-record 10-time ASUN newcomer of the week. On top of that, she compiled 16 double-doubles this year, which not only shattered the program's single-season record but ranks third among all Eagles in a career.
 
Bell, who also earned tournament MVP honors while leading the Eagles to the ASUN tournament championship, finished the season as the nation's fourth-leading scorer. In fact, her 24.3 points per contest is the sixth best average in the ASUN's 36-year history. Her 81 3-point field goals made is tied for seventh-most in program history, which also ties her for 12th-most in a single season in ASUN history. In fact, she made 3.11 3-point field goals per game, which is tied for the highest average in conference history.

Behind Bell's play, FGCU finished 26-3 overall in 2020-21, which included a 16-0 conference record en route to regular season and tournament championships. The team won every regular season and tournament game against conference teams by double-digits. Once her transfer waiver was approved three games into the season, the Eagles reeled off 25 consecutive victories before falling to No. 14/16 Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, where Bell scored a team-high 25 points. It was just one shy of matching the longest streak in the program's Division I era.
 
Here are the 2021 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-Americans:
 

Player	Institution	Class	Position
Aliyah Boston	University of South Carolina	Sophomore	Forward
Paige Bueckers	University of Connecticut	Freshman	Guard
Caitlin Clark	University of Iowa	Freshman	Guard
Chelsea Dungee	University of Arkansas	Redshirt Senior	Guard
Dana Evans	University of Louisville	Senior	Guard
Naz Hillmon	University of Michigan	Junior	Forward
Rhyne Howard	University of Kentucky	Junior	Guard
Aari McDonald	University of Arizona	Senior	Guard
NaLyssa Smith	Baylor University	Junior	Forward
Kiana Williams	Stanford University	Senior	Guard

 
Here are the 42 student-athletes who received 2021 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America honorable mention:
 

Player	Institution
Shakira Austin	University of Mississippi
Janelle Bailey	University of North Carolina
Kierstan Bell	Florida Gulf Coast University
Grace Berger	Indiana University
Charli Collier	University of Texas
Zia Cooke	University of South Carolina
Lorela Cubaj	Georgia Tech
Elissa Cunane	North Carolina State University
Rennia Davis	University of Tennessee
Anna DeWolfe	Fordham University
Kysre Gondrezick	West Virginia University
Aleah Goodman	Oregon State University
Vivian Gray	Texas Tech University
Arella Guirantes	Rutgers University
Anastasia Hayes	Middle Tennessee State University
Mya Hollingshed	University of Colorado
Rickea Jackson	Mississippi State University
Ashley Joens	Iowa State University
Morgan Jones	Florida State University
N'dea Jones	Texas A&M University
Micaela Kelly	Central Michigan University
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen	Georgia Institute of Technology
Ayoka Lee	Kansas State University
Charlisse Leger-Walker	Washington State University
Selena Lott	Marquette University
Natasha Mack	Oklahoma State University
Tiana Mangakahia	Syracuse University
Diamond Miller	University of Maryland
Que Morrison	University of Georgia
Olivia Nelson-Ododa	University of Connecticut
Michaela Onyenwere	UCLA
Charisma Osborne	UCLA
Ashley Owusu	University of Maryland
DiDi Richards	Baylor University
Myah Selland	South Dakota State University
Destiny Slocum	University of Arkansas
Jenna Staiti	University of Georgia
IImar'I Thomas	University of Cincinnati
Unique Thompson	Auburn University
Jasmine Walker	University of Alabama
Maddy Westbeld	University of Notre Dame
Christyn Williams	University of Connecticut

 
For complete coverage of the women's basketball program, follow the Eagles on Twitter and Instagram at @FGCU_WBB, on Facebook at /fgcuwbb and online at www.FGCUathletics.com. You can also sign-up to have news on FGCU women's basketball or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.
 
E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!
 
SUPPORT THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM
Do you enjoy watching or following the FGCU women's basketball program? Would you like to play a role in the growth of the program and help take it to heights never before experienced? If so, you can reach out to Director of Advancement, Matt Ring, about opportunities to make an impact on the experiences of our student-athletes. He can be reached by email at mring@fgcu.edu or by office phone at 239-745-4434.

COACH SMESKO
FGCU head coach Karl Smesko maintains a record of 580-125 (.823) overall in his career, which is the third-highest winning percentage among active Division I coaches behind only UConn's Geno Auriemma and Baylor's Kim Mulkey. He has also led the Eagles to a 217-17 (.927) mark in ASUN regular season play and a 27-2 (.931) record in ASUN tournament play. Over the past 10 seasons, he has guided FGCU to a 153-5 (.968) record in conference play with six undefeated seasons. The 11-time ASUN Coach of the Year has led the program to 11-straight 25-win seasons and 17-consecutive 20-win campaigns, including 30-plus wins in four of the past seven years. On top of all that, the Eagles are 519-98 all-time since Smesko started the program in the 2002-03 season, and the Green and Blue's .841 all-time winning percentage is the best in NCAA Division I women's basketball history.
 
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
 
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 85 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 40 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 21, 2020-21), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2021) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 23 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall, 2020 Spring, and 2020 Fall semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.

--FGCUATHLETICS.COM--