Carson-Newman's Wykle Named WBCA All-American

ATLANTA - The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced Thursday (March 21) the NCAA Division II award winners for the 2023-24 season. Carson-Newman's Braelyn Wykle was named a 2024 WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches' All-American.

The Greeneville, Tenn. native completes quite possibly the most outstanding and exceptional five-year career in Carson-Newman program history, etching her name in several record books. The guard finishes her career as the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,782 career points. That scoring mark ranks second in South Atlantic Conference history and fourth all-time on the DII scoring list. Braelyn completes her career with a scoring average of 19.2, second highest ever in SAC history. In total, Wykle made 970 baskets, the most in program and SAC history on efficient 46/41/87 career splits.

With 2,782 career points came 370 three-pointers, the most in program history achieving that mark last season. The sharp shooting from long range allowed her to finish second in SAC history and seventh all-time among DII players for threes made. In her final go around, Wykle broke the program and the SAC's single-season record for three-pointers made with 107 this season. On her senior day, she broke the program's single-season three-point mark and the single-game record for three-pointers made with 13. In that same game, Wykle scored a career-high 45 points and made 15 of her 26 shots.

Additionally, three SAC women were named 2024 WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches' All-America honorable mention: Wingate's Emily Hege, Anderson's Diamond McDowell, and Catawba's Lyrik Thorne. Hege, a recently crowned 2024 SAC Women's Basketball Champion, led the SAC in three-point percentage with 48.8% and averaged 18.2 points per game. McDowell was named a four-time SAC WePlayed Sports Women's Basketball Player of the Week and finished third in the SAC with 10.1 rebounds per game. Thorne, the D2CCA Southeast Region Player of the Year, SAC Player of the Year and SAC Defensive Player of the Year, scored 19.3 points per game, leading the SAC and landing top 20 in the nation while completing her career as Catawba's all-time scoring leader.

The WBCA NCAA Division II Coach of the Year, Player of the Year and Coaches' All-America team are selected by the WBCA NCAA Division II Awards Committee from coaches and student-athletes who are nominated by WBCA member coaches.

Coaches' All-America

Here are the 2024 WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches' All-Americans:

"We congratulate the members of the 2024 WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches' All-America team," said Donehew. "These young women have worked to elevate their teams and themselves to an elite level of competition. Through their exceptional talents on the basketball court, they have also lifted the women's game."

Here are the student-athletes who received 2024 WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches' All-America honorable mention: