Air Force sophomore Raimee Beck and senior Kim Kreke took home team MVP honors Tuesday night at the Air Force women's basketball team banquet. Beck took home offensive MVP honors and Kreke earned defensive MVP honors. Senior Brooke Cultra earned the Falcon Award and freshman Anna Gault the Attitude is Everything Award. Beck also earned the Iron Bolt Award and Kreke the Loudermilk-Chavez Leadership Award.
Beck, a sophomore guard from Blackfoot, Idaho, earned Offensive MVP and Iron Bolt Award honors. The Iron Bolt Award goes to the player who was the top performer in the team's strength & conditioning sessions. Beck led the team in scoring (12.9 ppg), three point baskets (72), free throw shooting percentage (87.1) and minutes played. Her 36.6 minutes per game average was tops in the Mountain West Conference as were her 72 three-point baskets in regular season play. Beck scored 386 points on the year, tying school Div. I era record for most points in a season. The sophomore also earned MWC All-Conference honors as well.
Kreke, a senior center and team co-captain from Salem, Ill., earned the defensive MVP award and Loudermilk-Chavez Leadership Award. One of the most prolific shot blockers in Air Force history, Kreke ranked second in the MWC with 43 blocked shots and led the conference during the regular season with 9.4 rebounds per game. Her 43 blocks and 278 rebounds are both new Air Force Div. I era records. An accomplished offensive presence as well, Kreke ranked third on the team in scoring and second in three-point baskets, averaging 9.3 points and making 22 three's.
Cultra, a senior guard and team co-captain from Onarga, Ill., earned the Falcon Award. The Falcon Award goes to the player that epitomizes the qualities of commitment, strong work ethic and being a team leader on and off the court. Cultra ranked second on the team in several categories, including scoring (11.0 ppg), rebounding (6.0 rpg), free throw shooting (83.7 pct) and blocked shots (12). Cultra ranks third all-time at the Academy with 112 games played and her 782 career points, ranks eighth all-time in the Div. I era.
Freshman guard Anna Gault earned the Attitude is Everything Award. The Attitude is Everything Award goes to the player that gave everything, not just games but in practices and weight training and all aspects of being a college student athlete. A native of Aurora, Ill., Gault appeared in all 30 games, starting the final 29 at point guard. Gault led all MWC freshmen with 99 assists and a 3.3 assists per game average. Gault recorded her first-career double-double with 10 points and 10 assists against North Carolina Central, and became the first Falcon since 2002 to record 10 assists in a game. Her 99 assists are the fifth-best total in the Div. I era at Air Force.
Air Force finished the season with a 4-26 record and ninth-place finish in Mountain West Conference play.
