Posted-February 27th, 2012 8:23 pm

MADISON, Wis. – Junior Taylor Wurtz and senior Anya Covington earned All-Big Ten Conference honors as the 2011-12 women’s basketball team was announced today by the conference office. Wurtz, a 6-0 guard, earned third-team honors by league media and honorable mention honors by league coaches. Covington, a 6-2 forward, was named to the honorable mention teams by both coaches and media.

Wurtz ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 16.3 points per game and fifth with 7.6 rebounds per game. The Brandon, Wis., native has scored in double figures in 26-of-28 games this season, including eight games with 20-or-more points. Wurtz has also tallied six double-doubles this season with double-figure rebounds in six games.

A two-year starter for the Badgers, Wurtz has led the team in scoring in 18 games and in rebounding in 16 games. She is the UW’s top 3-point shooter, averaging 2.4 treys per game.

A native of Edwardsville, Ill., Covington ranks second at UW and 25th in the Big Ten with 10.3 points per game. She has scored in double figures in 15 games this season, including two games with 20-or-more points. Covington has led the Badgers in scoring in five games and in rebounding in nine games.

She ranks second on the team and 12th in the Big Ten with 6.6 rebounds per game. Covington, who has started 25 of 28 games this season, has had five games with double-figure rebounds. The three-time team captain was also named the recipient of the UW’s Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.

The Badgers are the No. 9 seed in the 2012 Big Ten tournament and play Minnesota in the first round on Thursday at 5 p.m. in Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Selected by Big Ten Coaches

First Team

Jordan Hooper, Nebraska
Tayler Hill, Ohio State
SAMANTHA PRAHALIS, Ohio State
Alex Bentley, Penn State
Maggie Lucas, Penn State
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Second Team

Morgan Johnson, Iowa
Porsche’ Poole, Michigan State
Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Lindsey Moore, Nebraksa
Brittany Rayburn, Purdue

Third team

Karisma Penn, Illinois
Jaime Printy, Iowa
Kamille Wahlin, Iowa
Lykendra Johnson, Michigan State
Dannielle Diamant, Northwestern

Honorable Mention

Rachel Sheffer, Michigan
Kiara Buford, Minnesota
Morgan Jones, Northwestern
Nikki Greene, Penn State
Anya Covington, Wisconsin
Taylor Wurtz, Wisconsin

All Defensive Team

Adrienne GodBold, Illinois
Jenny Ryan, Michigan
Tayler Hill, Ohio State
Amber Stokes, Ohio State
Alex Bentley, Penn State

All-Freshman Team

SAMANTHA LOGIC, Iowa
Kiana Johnson, Michigan State
RACHEL BANHAM, Minnesota
Emily Cady, Nebraska
Morgan Jones, Northwestern

Player of the Year
Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State

Defensive Player of the Year
Amber Stokes, Ohio State

Freshman of the Year
Rachel Banham, Minnesota

Sixth Player of the Year
Adrienne GodBold, Illinois

Coach of the Year
Coquese Washington, Penn State

Selected by media

First team

Jordan Hooper, Nebraska
Tayler Hill, Ohio State
SAMANTHA PRAHALIS, Ohio State
Alex Bentley, Penn State
Maggie Lucas, Penn State

Second Team

Morgan Johnson, Iowa
Lykendra Johnson, Michigan State
Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Lindsey Moore, Nebraksa
Brittany Rayburn, Purdue

Third team

Porsche’ Poole, Michigan State
Karisma Penn, Illinois
Jaime Printy, Iowa
Nikki Greene, Penn State
Taylor Wurtz, Wisconsin

Honorable Mention

Kamille Wahlin, Iowa
Courtney Boylan, Michigan
Jenny Ryan, Michigan
Rachel Sheffer, Michigan
Kiara Buford, Minnesota
Morgan Jones, Northwestern
Emily Cady, Nebraska
Danielle Diamant, Northwestern
Kendall Hackney, Northwestern
Ashley Adams, Ohio State
Zhaque Gray, Penn State
Mia Nickson, Penn State
KK Houser, Purdue
Sam Ostarello, Purdue
Anya Covington, Wisconsin

Player of the Year
Samantha Prahalis, Ohio State

Freshman of the Year
Rachel Banham, Minnesota

Coach of the Year
Coquese Washington, Penn State