Jax State junior Clara Gonzalez Planella claims Conference USA yearly award
In her first season at Jacksonville State, Clara Gonzalez Planella picked up a yearly honor for her regular-season campaign.
The junior was honored as Conference USA’s sixth player of the year on Monday, claiming one of the league’s five player awards.
Planella played in 25 games for Jax State this season and started seven. In the regular season, she averaged 8.4 points per game and 2.9 rebounds across 21.4 average minutes off the bench.
She scored in double figures off the bench seven times, including logging a season-high 19 points off the bench against Utah Valley.
A native of Barcelona, Spain, she’s started Jax State’s last five games of the season; over that span, Planella is averaging 11.6 points and 2.6 rebounds.
Most notably, she hit a game-winning buzzer-beater against UTEP in a 72-71 overtime win on Jan. 23.
Before signing with Jax State, the 5-foot-8 guard spent the previous two seasons at NJCAA Cochise College in Arizona.
Jacksonville State (10-19, 4-14 CUSA) will serve as the No. 9 seed in the Conference USA tournament at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville and face No. 8-seeded Sam Houston in the first game of the tourney. Tipoff is set for Tuesday at 11:30.
ALL-CONFERENCE USA 2024-25 HONORS, TEAMS
Player of the Year
Molly Kaiser, NM State, Fifth, G
Defensive Player of the Year
Anastasiia Boldyreva, MTSU, Sr., C
Newcomer of the Year
Isnelle Natabou, FIU, Sr., C
Freshman of the Year
Paris Bradley, LA Tech, G
Sixth Player of the Year
Clara Gonzalez Planella, Jax State, Jr., G
Coach of the Year
Rick Insell, MTSU
All-Conference USA First Team
Isnelle Natabou, FIU, Sr., C
Prencis Harden, Kennesaw State, Sr., F
Bella Smuda, Liberty, R-Sr., C
Paris Bradley, LA Tech, Fr., G
Anastasiia Boldyreva, MTSU, Sr., C
Ta’Mia Scott, MTSU, Jr., G
Molly Kaiser, NM State, Fifth, G
Alexis Mead, WKU, Sr., G
All-Conference USA Second Team
Parris Atkins, FIU, Jr., G
Asia Boone, Liberty. So., G
Emma Hess, Liberty, Sr., G
Jalynn Gregory, MTSU, Sr., G
Deborah Ogayemi, Sam Houston, Jr., F
Ivane Tensaie, UTEP, Sr., G
Josie Gilvin, WKU, Jr., G
Destiny Salary, WKU, Fifth, G
CUSA All-Defensive Team
Bella Smuda, Liberty, R-Sr., C
Anastasiia Boldyreva, MTSU, Sr., C
Fanta Kone, Sam Houston, Jr., G
Josie Gilvin, WKU, Jr., G
Alexis Mead, WKU, Sr., G
CUSA All-Freshman Team
Fantasia James, FIU, G
Avery Mills, Liberty, G
Emmy Stout, Liberty, C
Paris Bradley, LA Tech, G
Jordan Marshall, LA Tech, F