ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Junior Gift Uchenna of the Southern Illinois University women’s basketball team has been named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference Third Team and All-Newcomer Team, as announced by the league on Wednesday.
This is the first time a Saluki has been named to the All-MVC Third Team since the award’s inception in 2022-23. Uchenna also becomes the third SIU player to be named to the All-Newcomer Team, as Cari Hassell in 1995 and Ashley Jones in 2023 have also been awarded spots on the team.
At the conclusion of the regular season, Uchenna averaged 14.4 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.8 offensive rebounds, and 2.1 blocks-per-game across 29 games played. The rebounding average and season total of 369 rebounds are both single-season program records, while the junior’s 62 total blocks are the fourth-most all-time for SIU women’s basketball.
Uchenna led the Valley in rebounding, offensive rebounding, and double-doubles (20), and also ranked second in blocks.
In the NCAA, the junior ranked second in rebounding, third in offensive rebounding, third in double-doubles, and 22nd in blocks-per-game.
On Nov. 16, Uchenna scored a career-high 34 points, which is tied for the sixth-most in a game in program history. The Ebonyi State, Nigeria, native has scored at least 20 points in six games, including a 20-20 game at Valparaiso (21 points, 21 rebounds) on Dec. 29.
Uchenna’s 21 rebounds against the Beacons were also the most by any Valley player in a game this season. The junior forward has had eight of the top 15 rebounding performances in the MVC in 2024-25.
This season, Uchenna has also been named the MVC Newcomer of the Week on four separate occasions: Feb. 10, Jan. 20, Dec. 30, and Nov. 18.
To view the rest of the league’s award winners, click here.
Uchenna and the Salukis will face No. 5 seed Illinois State on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in the first round of the Credit Union 1 MVC Tournament at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.
