Jim Grimes Earns Conference Coach of the Year Honor
By Mark DeCotis, Eastern Florida // February 28, 2015
Sophmore Jessica Doyle Named All-State
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Eastern Florida women’s basketball head coach Jim Grimes has been named the Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference Coach of the Year while five of his players received recognition.
Grimes is in his second season as head coach.
Eastern Florida finished 22-7 overall and 13-2 in the conference in winning its first championship since 2002. It also qualified for the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Tournament for the first time since 2003.
The Titans are ranked sixth in the state and 23rd nationally.
Sophomore Jessica Doyle was named to both the All-Conference first team and to the All-State team. Titans joining Doyle on the All-Conference first team were sophomore forward Rachelle Aupont and freshman guard Nene Johnson.
Titans freshmen Crystal Townsend and Paola Vasquez were named to the All-Conference second team.
Joining Doyle and Wilson on the All-State team were Miami Dade sophomore Jackie Blake and Palm Beach State freshman Lakiah Sims.
St. Petersburg College sophomore Shayla Wilson was named Conference Player of the Year.
Doyle, a shooting guard from Palm Bay, Florida and Heritage High, finished the regular season as Eastern Florida’s second-leading scorer at 11.7 points per game.
She shot a team-best 36.6 percent from the three-point line, sinking 67 shots from behind the arc.
She also shot 83.6 percent from the free throw line good for 20th nationally.
She started all 29 games.
“I am very proud of our kids for being recognized as All-Conference players,” Grimes said.
“The Southern Conference, and particularly, Region 8, is full of some of the best players in the country, so for our kids to be listed among the elite is quite an accomplishment.”
Other All-Conference first-team selections were sophomore Kenshadra Smith, Miami Dade College; freshman Amanda Mendoza, St. Petersburg; sophomore Chanice Whitten, St. Petersburg; sophomore Ashante Doby, Miami Dade; sophomore Imari Brown, Miami Dade; and sophomore Zeneka Willix, St. Petersburg.
Doyle was a first-team selection in 2014 and Aupont a second-team pick.
