Judie Lomax named Ivy Player of the Year

Even though its history-making season ended on Mar. 6, the Columbia women’s basketball team has continued to experience unprecedented successes. Recently, its achievements came in the form of postseason awards from the Ivy League.

Three Columbia players were recognized by the league for their individual accomplishments this season. Senior guard Sara Yee and junior guard Kathleen Barry both received all-Ivy honorable mention, while Yee also was named the Ivy Defensive Player of the Year. But it was junior forward Judie Lomax who received the conference’s top individual honor, becoming the first Columbia player to be named the Ivy Player of the Year.

Lomax dominated games by making her presence felt all over the court. This season, she compiled league-high averages of 18.6 points per game, 14.2 rebounds per game, and 2.6 steals per game. Lomax also finished eighth in the league with 2.7 assists per contest.

For the second consecutive year, Lomax’s rebounding average was the best in the nation. Lomax’s unparalleled prowess on the boards has made her the first NCAA Division I women’s basketball player to achieve the distinction in successive campaigns.

“Everybody we played, from the first game of the season, knew she led the nation in rebounding last year,” Columbia head coach Paul Nixon said. “So it’s not like they don’t talk about it, they don’t scout-report for it, they don’t put it in the game plan, they don’t try and put in schemes to keep her from getting them, and yet she still is able to do it again. I mean, that’s a pretty special accomplishment.”

For Lomax, rebounding is her way of being a dependable teammate.

“Every time I step on the floor, I want to contribute to my team as much as possible,” she said. “That’s one way I found that I could consistently contribute to my team.”

While Lomax also made a statistical impact with her steals, it was Yee who initiated Columbia’s defensive efforts. Whether or not Columbia pressed, Yee’s defense began in the backcourt. She frustrated opposing point guards with her relentless style of play. Within the Lions’ defensive sets, Yee’s intensity was crucial to Lomax’s success.

“Why does Judie Lomax lead the league in steals and set a school [single-season] record for steals?” Nixon asked. “Well, it’s not all her individual effort. It starts with what Sara Yee’s able to do and the kind of tone that she sets for our team defensively.”

Yee has now been recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year for the two consecutive seasons in which the award has existed, making her the only player ever to receive the honor. She also made her mark on the offensive end this year, leading the league with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.6-to-1. Yee averaged three assists per game.

Along with Yee, Barry’s performance this season merited all-Ivy honorable mention. Barry contributed 10.8 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 1.9 steals per game. She was Columbia’s second-highest scorer and rebounder. Barry also finished with the sixth-best 3-point shooting percentage in the league, knocking down 40.9 percent of her treys.

Nixon was pleased to have his players acknowledged in a season that featured high-caliber individuals throughout the Ivy League.

“This is probably, if not the best, one of the best Ivy League seasons that women’s basketball’s ever had,” he said. “There’s so many quality players in the league this year, so for us to have some individuals recognized in the manner that they were…was very nice and very rewarding.”

While Columbia boasts a bevy of postseason awards, the Lions are not content to rest on their laurels. Instead, the team is preparing for a possible trip to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. Participation in postseason competition would be another unprecedented achievement for Columbia.

“It’s definitely uncharted territory,” Nixon said. “But it’s exciting stuff.”