MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - The River States Conference is pleased to announce the major award winners from the 2024-25 women's basketball season. The awards were announced Thursday, in the midst of the RSC Tournament. Emilee Hope of Oakland City earned the top honor as the Player of the Year, while Jasmine Jordan of Rio Grande was honored as Newcomer of the Year. The Coach of the Year award was presented to Shawnee State's DeWayne Burroughs. All three awards are selected via a vote of RSC coaches.

Emilee Hope, a fifth year guard from Henderson, Kentucky, was named the RSC Player of the Year. A three-time First Team All-Conference selection, Hope averaged 18 points and nearly five rebounds per contest for Oakland City, who claimed the RSC East Division title. Hope knocked down 83 three-pointers on the season, a total that ranks seventh in the nation. She became Oakland City's all-time leading scorer during the season, and eclipsed 2,000 total points for her career.

Jasmine Jordan came to the University of Rio Grande from Ashland, Kentucky, and immediately became a standout as a freshman. Jordan averaged 18.4 points and 14 rebounds per contest during her freshman season, and recorded 23 double-doubles on the season. The freshman post became a feared presence as the season went on, and enters Saturday's RSC semifinal game with Oakland City having recorded 15 consecutive double-doubles.

DeWayne Burroughs led the Shawnee State Bears to a standout season, and was honored as River States Conference Coach of the Year for his efforts. The fourth year head coach led Shawnee State to a 15-1 conference record, an East Division title, and a berth in the NAIA Tournament. Burroughs led the Shawnee State women's basketball program to its first regular season conference championship since the 2017-18 season and helped SSU clinch its first NAIA National Tournament berth since the 2020-21 season.

The RSC Tournament began with four quarterfinal games on Wednesday, with the home team winning all four contests. Saturday's semifinals will see Burroughs and the Shawnee State Bears hosting Brescia University in Portsmouth, while the Player of the Year and the Newcomer of the Year will face off as Oakland City hosts Rio Grande. The championship game, held at the home venue of the best remaining seed, is scheduled for Tuesday evening.