Michigan State University Athletics
Lindsay Bowen, Liz Shimek Named Freshmen All-Americans
4/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
April 29, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State freshmen Lindsay Bowen (Dansville) and Liz Shimek (Empire) were named Freshmen All-Americans today by womenscollegehoops.com. Bowen was one of five second-team selections, while Shimek was named to the third team. The duo was previously honored as co-recipients of the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year award.
Bowen started all 29 games, ranked fourth in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.464) and led the Big Ten in free throw percentage (.955) during her freshman campaign. Bowen led all Big Ten freshmen in scoring (13.3), ranking 14th in the league, and was third in the conference in three-point field goals made per game (2.66). She set a school single-season record by sinking 77 three-point baskets and made at least one trey in her last 26 consecutive games. Bowen started her collegiate career by making her first 37 free throws, setting another new school record. Her 386 points scored is an MSU freshman record, and she scored in double figures 23 times. Bowen had a career-high 28 points Dec. 29 vs. Oklahoma State, and scored 21 points with five three-pointers including the game-winner with 24.5 seconds left in an upset of then-No. 7/6 Purdue Jan. 6.
Shimek, who also started all 29 games, ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 9.1 boards per game. She was second to Bowen among league freshmen in scoring (10.4). She led MSU in rebounding 14 times and in scoring four times and had five double-doubles. Shimek posted the second-highest rebounding total ever by a freshman at MSU (263) and her point total ranked fifth (302). Shimek was named to the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament team, had 19 points and nine rebounds in an upset of then-No. 7/6 Purdue Jan. 6 and hit the game-winning basket with 7.7 seconds remaining Feb. 13 vs. then-No. 22/24 Ohio State.
Michigan State finished its season with a 17-12 overall record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997. The Spartans had a 10-6 Big Ten record, tying for fourth place in the league.
2002-03 womenscollegehooops.com Freshman All-American Teams
FIRST TEAM
G- Seimone Augustus- LSU (Freshman of the year)
G- Alexis Kendrick- Georgia
F- Kim Smith- Utah
F- Ann Strother- Connecticut
C- Shawntinice Polk- Arizona
SECOND TEAM
G- Lindsay Bowen- Michigan State
G- Tamara James- Miami
G- Shanna Zolman- Tennessee
F- Tara Boothe- Xavier
F- Sophia Young- Baylor
THIRD TEAM
G- Nikki Blue-UCLA
G/F- La'Tangela Atkinson- North Carolina
G/F Barbara Turner- Connecticut
F- Liz Shimek- Michigan State
C- Courtney LaVere- Notre Dame
HONORABLE MENTION (alphabetical, limited to 12)
C- Mistie Bass- Duke
G- Chrissy Fisher- Maryland
C- Carolyn Ganes- Oregon
G- Erin Grant- Texas Tech
G- Joy Hollingsworth- San Francisco
G- Carrie Mason- Virginia Tech
G/F- Bernice Mosby- Florida
G- Jill Noe- Arizona State
G- Tiffany Porter-Talbert- Western Kentucky
G- Sikeetha Shepard- Marshall
F- Ofa Tulikihihifo- Cal State Northridge
G-Chelsi Welch- Oklahoma
