Nieman Picked Big West Freshman Of The Year

University of Idaho post Alli Nieman was honored Wednesday as the Big West Conference’s women’s freshman basketball player of the year after leading the Vandals with 18.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

Nieman, from Sandpoint, led the Vandals to a second-place finish in the Big West Eastern Division. A 6-foot-1 forward, Nieman scored in double figures in 23 of Idaho’s 26 games and had eight double-doubles.

She ranked third in the conference in scoring and rebounding. Nieman also was fourth in free-throw percentage, hitting 77 percent from the line.

In addition, she was chosen on the Big West’s first team. Nieman was the only freshman to be selected among three seniors, one junior and one sophomore.

Jason Jackman, a senior post from Hurricane, Utah, was chosen to the men’s second team after leading the Vandals with 17 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.