Kiera Hardy named pre-season honorable-mention All-American

[Matt Coatney]

Hardy Earns Preseason All-America Honors
Lincoln - Kiera Hardy, a senior on the Nebraska women’s basketball team, earned preseason honorable-mention All-America honors from Street & Smith's, the publication recently announced.

Hardy, a 5-6 guard out of O’Hara High School in Kansas City, Mo., is a two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection. Nebraska's career leader with 196 made three-pointers in her first three seasons with the Huskers, Hardy led the Big 12 with 2.5 made three-pointers per game as a junior in 2005-06.

She also ranked fifth in the Big 12 in scoring with 17 points per game last year, and enters her senior season with 1,416 points. She has an opportunity to become just the third player in Nebraska history, joining former Wade Trophy sinner Karen Jennings and Big Eight Player of the Year Maurtice Ivy, to earn first-team all-conference honors three times and score 2,000 points in their careers.

Hardy and her Nebraska women's basketball teammates will be making a special appearance at the Husker Nation Pavilion on Saturday before the NU football game with Kansas. The Huskers will sign autographs from 4 to 5 p.m. with free autograph cards and special schedule cards provided to fans. The Nebraska men's basketball team will also be signing autographs at the Pavilion on Saturday at the same time.

The Huskers officially open fall practice on Friday, Oct. 13, and will make their first exhibition appearance on Wednesday, Nov. 1, against Nebraska-Kearney at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Nebraska opens the regular season against preseason top 15 Arizona State at the Veterans Day Classic on Friday, Nov. 10 in Tempe, Ariz.

Street & Smith’s (Women’s) Top 25

Maryland
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Stanford
Tennessee
Ohio State
Duke
Connecticut
Texas A&M
Georgia
Vanderbilt
Arizona State
LSU
Rutgers
Kentucky
New Mexico
Texas Tech
Old Dominion
DePaul
Virginia
George Washington
Purdue
Iowa State
Pittsburgh
Southern California
Terrific 10
Jessica Davenport, Ohio State
Sylvia Fowles, LSU
Tasha Humphrey, Georgia
Crystal Langhorne, Maryland
Erlana Larkins, North Carolina
Ivory Latta, North Carolina
Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
Candace Parker, Tennessee
Noelle Quinn, UCLA
Candice Wiggins, Stanford

High Honorable Mention
Jolene Anderson, Wisconsin
Marissa Coleman, Maryland
Katie Gearlds, Purdue
Devenai Hampton, California
Lindsey Harding, Duke
Tiffany Jackson, Texas
Crystal Kelly, Western Kentucky
Armintie Price, Mississippi
Jillian Robbins, Tulsa
Brooke Smith, Stanford

Honorable Mention
Matee Ajavon, Rutgers
Morenike Atunrase, Texas A&M
Alison Bales, Duke
DeWanna Bonner, Auburn
Jessica Dickson, South Florida
Janielle Dodds, SMU
Chrissy Givens, Middle Tennessee
Alicia Gladden, Florida State
Alexis Gray-Lawson, California
Kiera Hardy, Nebraska
Laura Harper, Maryland
Alexis Hornbuckle, Tennessee
Camille Little, North Carolina
Lyndsey Medders, Iowa State
Eshaya Murphy, USC
Allie Quigley, DePaul
Tyresa Smith, Delaware
Kristi Toliver, Maryland
Marcedes Walker, Pittsburgh
Abby Waner, Duke
Emily Westerberg, Arizona State
Mallorie Winn, Pittsburgh
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, Purdue
Sharneé Zoll, Virginia

[FriendofCy]

Nice to see Medders on that list, and I noticed ISU in this poll as well. Hopefully we can live up to those expectations! :) Thanks for the post, and congrats to Miss Hardy!

[YCN]

I'm confused that Lyndsey isn't more in the national spotlight, and certainly she has earned more than casual mention, as though almost like an "also-ran" in a predetermined and fixed election.

I find that very disagreeable.

And as far as Kiera is concerned, we know she has the athletic ability, the skills on offense; but it's her persistence, and her effort on defense when without the ball that are at question. If she can significantly improve in those two areas, All-America status is within her reach. And we never know exactly what a senior season may bring.

I certainly hope all the best for both of those two classy players.

[huntington]

I don't think anyone on that list can be considered a "casual mention". Just who on the Terrific 10 or HHM would you replace Medders with? Just making the list will give her the opportunity to gain national acclaim. She's great, but so is everyone else on that list.
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RC212V (http://www.honda-wiki.org/wiki/Honda_RC212V)

[YCN]

The thing, besides leadership, that makes Lyndsey so good is how much better she makes her teammates better in the way she plays the game.

And no one needs to take my word for it, just look at her assist and assist-to-turnover numbers from last year, they are telling.

Lyndsey easily led the nation in assists per game. There's nothing for which I have to apologize. Medders is more than an HM player IMO, and I'm sticking with that statement.

I'll admit that the list is very slim on point guards, but the reasons for that are out there for all to see.

[ChipperF1]

"I'm confused that Lyndsey isn't more in the national spotlight, and certainly she has earned more than casual mention, as though almost like an "also-ran" in a predetermined and fixed election.

I find that very disagreeable.

Being named one of the nation's better players is more than "casual mention" to me.

Lyndsey is getting the notice that she's earned. She's a very good player, but on a WNIT team. If you want the big notice, you have to get to the big show.

The same with Kiera Hardy. She's on the radar, but to end up on the radar she has to get the job done in the biggest games and do it consitently.

The only All-America teams that count are the ones chosen at the end of the year.