INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – Senior Heather Thompson of the Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team has been named a Daktronics-NAIA Division I Scholar-Athlete for the second season in a row, as the association announced Monday.
 
In order to be nominated, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved junior academic status.
 
Thompson, a senior center and Kinesiology major from Escondido, collected her second Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Tournament Most Outstanding Player accolade this season. Thompson also picked up her third all-conference nod when she was named to the first team for the second consecutive time.
 
Thompson averaged a team-best 13.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots per game.  Thompson finished the season nationally-ranked No. 3 with a 7.3 defensive rebounds average, No. 4 with 70 total blocks and No. 5 after averaging 2.2 blocked shots per game.
 
The Cougars won their second consecutive A.I.I. conference championship and made their second appearance at the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship, presented by Susan G. Komen® Greater Kansas City. Four players were named all-conference and interim head coach Crystal Harris took home Coach of the Year honors.  The squad finished with a 16-16 overall mark.
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