MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The SSAC announced its Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete Team for the 2025-26 season. Graduate wing Morgan Holland DeWitt and junior forward Ruthie Smith each placed on the team for their performances in the classroom and on the court in leading Faulkner to its first NAIA WBB Championship berth in three years this season.
DeWitt finishes her six-year collegiate career by placing on the Scholar-Athlete Team for the fourth time in as many full seasons played in which she's been eligible, after she already earned her fifth career All-SSAC honor and placed on the CSC Academic All-District Team for the second time. The native of Blountsville, Ala., finishes her time as a Lady Eagle in second place in program history with 1886 points, 1032 rebounds and 782 defensive rebounds, becoming just the second in Faulkner history with 1800 points, 1000 boards or the 1000-1000 career mark. She hit the 1800 mark in the 90-82 victory over No. 18 William Carey on Play4Kay Night and recorded her 1000th rebound two days later in the 72-54 upset of No. 19 Loyola on her Senior Day, helping lead Faulkner to its first ranked wins or win of any kind over WCU in two seasons.
In 730 minutes, the second fewest in a full season for DeWitt, the Second Team All-SSAC honoree and CSC Academic All-America candidate tallied 340 points and 11.3 per game on 43.6% shooting while adding 225 rebounds, 45 assists and 31 steals. She boasts a 3.93 cumulative GPA across her two years in grad school after logging a 3.85 cumulative undergrad.
Smith also earns a spot on the Scholar-Athlete Team, doing so for the second time in as many eligible seasons in what was also her second straight First Team All-SSAC-winning season. The star forward out of Rogersville, Ala., led the team in most statistical categories, racking up 433 points in 26.9 minutes per game for an average of 14.4 points per game while shooting 42.7% from the field, 33.1% from three and 46.8% from the free throw line. She pulled down 245 rebounds, 159 on defense and 86 on offense, while adding 41 assists, 41 steals and 31 blocks on the way to a WBCA NAIA Coaches' All-America Honorable Mention honor.
She took home two SSAC Defensive Player honors and one Offensive Player of the Week honor this season to bring her career total to six and registered a career game with 31 points at Brewton-Parker Christian, while scoring her 1000th career point on the road at William Carey. The junior computer science major carries a 3.48 cumulative GPA.
The full release from the SSAC can be found below.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Southern States Athletic Conference announced the 2025-26 SSAC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete Team and Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Loyola's Deniya Thornton was named 2025-26 SSAC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The junior criminology and justice major has a 3.68 GPA. On the court, she earned NAIA Second-Team All-America honors and was named SSAC Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.1 assists per game.
2025-26 Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete Team
Deniya Thornton, Loyola
Morgan Holland DeWitt, Faulkner
Ramie Reid, UT Southern
Maddie Kirk, Blue Mountain Christian
Shakiria Chaney, Abraham Baldwin
Ruthie Smith, Faulkner
Aniyah Offutt, Life
Additional Notes
· Reid leads with a 4.0 GPA, while Kirk and Offutt boast 3.95 marks in the classroom
· Thornton, Kirk, Smith and Chaney all earned First-Team All-Conference honors, while Offutt, DeWitt and Reid were Second-Team All-Conference selections on the court
· To be eligible, student-athletes must be a sophomore or above in both academic and athletic standing, must be starters or important reserves, have at least a 3.3 cumulative GPA and have competed in 50% of competitions
· Graduate students and transfers must have completed one semester at the school
