DETROIT, Mich. – With the postseason complete and the champion crowned, the Women's National Invitational Tournament announced its six-women all-tournament team. Named among the top players in the 64-team event was Washington State's own Alexys Swedlund as the second-year Coug put together a stellar showing to lead her team to the semifinals.
Playing in four time zones and traveling over 4,200 miles, Swedlund led the Cougs to their first-ever postseason victories as WSU went 4-1 in the WNIT. Despite the all the miles, Swedlund proved to have plenty left in the tank and in her shooting legs as she averaged 18.0 points per game in the post season. In all, the South Dakota native led the Cougs in scoring in four of five contests in the postseason while scoring 20+ points in each of her final three games.
Not just a shooter, Swedlund took her all-around performance to another level as well as she averaged 6.0 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game while barley ever taking a breather. She would finish her five game trek across the country having played 191 of 205 total minutes as she averaged a team-high 38.2 minutes per contest. Her 42 minutes in overtime at Wyoming, playing at over 7,200 feet of elevation, was the most for any Cougar since Jazmine Perkins played 44 minutes at Oregon State on Dec. 31, 2011.
For the year, Swedlund averaged 11.9 points per game while etching her name in the annuals of Coug single-season history with a record 75 three-pointers made.
Swedlund and the rest of her Cougar teammates will look to build on their historic postseason run in 2017-18 when all but one senior returns to the court.
2017 WNIT All-Tournament Team
Katelynn Flaherty, Michigan (MVP)
Hallie Thome, Michigan
Zaire O'Neill, Georgia Tech
Francesca Pan, Georgia Tech
Alex Louin, Villanova
Alexys Swedlund, Washington State