Kelsey Tietje Named HCAC Player of the Year

GREENWOOD, IND.  --  Defiance College senior women's basketball player Kelsey Tietje (Deshler/Patrick Henry) has been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in addition to garnering first-team accolades for her efforts this season.  In addition, fellow senior Erica Smay (Defiance/Tinora) was selected to the All-Sportsmanship Team.  [2016-17 All-HCAC Teams]

Tietje has now earned first-team All-Conference honors all four years of her career and this is the first time she has been tabbed "Player of the Year."

As a senior, Tietje led the team, and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, in several statistical categories including: points (519), points per game (20.0), field goals made (197), field goal percentage (56.8 percent), rebounds (359), rebounds per game (13.8) and blocks (67).  Her 519 points were the second most scored in a single season at DC in the history of the women's basketball program.  She tallied 20 double-doubles with 14 games of 20 or more points and recorded season-highs of 32 points and 23 rebounds.

Tietje set one single-season record in 2016-17 in total rebounds with 359 surpassing former DC standout Lori Harris '86 who posted 334 boards during the 1984-85 season.  Tietje also holds the third and fourth most rebounds in a season (322 and 320).

For her career, Tietje will leave her mark as one of the best women's basketball players to wear the purple and gold.  She became the program all-time leader in several categories including: points (1,919), rebounds (1,257), blocks (218) and free-throws made (566).  Tietje also ends her career as the all-time leader in rebounds per game (12.3) and had posted 69 double-doubles.

In addition, Tietje holds the school record for most rebounds in a game (26) which she recorded in a matchup against Hanover (Ind.) College on Jan. 4, 2014.  Her mark is also currently a HCAC single-game record.

Tietje played in 102 games, with 99 starts, and had a 52.0 lifetime shooting percentage (674-of-1,295).  Her 674 career field goals rank second all-time in program history and her 1,295 attempts is tied for second all-time.  Her 18.8 ppg. average is the second most in DC history just behind Lori Harris '86 (18.9 ppg.).  She also posted a 73.8 shooting percentage at the free-throw line in addition to tallying 79 assists and 37 steals.

Smay has now earned All-Sportsmanship recognition for the fourth time in her career.  As a senior, Smay started in all 26 games and finished fourth on the team in scoring with 204 points and averaged 7.8 points per game.  She scored in double figures in eight games during the season, including a career-high 19 points on two occasions.  She had a 32.8 overall shooting percentage (76-of-232) and was third on the team in three-pointers made (29) and attempts (104).  Smay also had a 65.7 percentage (23-of-35) at the free-throw line.  

In addition, Smay was second in assists with 78 which also ranked in a tie for seventh in the HCAC.  She also grabbed 73 rebounds (21 offensive and 52 defensive) for a 2.8 rpg. average to go along with 19 steals.

Smay ends her career having played in 102 games and started all but two.  She scored 669 points (6.6 ppg.) while shooting 31.1 percent overall (226-of-727).  She also had a 27.6 lifetime percentage (118-of-427) from behind the arc and a 63.5 percentage (99-of-156) at the free-throw line.  She tallied 293 rebounds and averaged 2.9 rpg. to go along with 207 assists, 83 steals and one block.