SPOKANE, Wash. - UC San Diego sophomore guard Chelsea Carlisle was voted the 2009-10 Daktronics NCAA Division II West Region Women's Basketball Player of the Year, it was announced on Wednesday. Carlisle earned First Team West Region honors and narrowly beat out guard Amanda Dunbar of Western Washington and center Brittney Taylor of Humboldt State for the top honor.

Carlisle, who averaged team-highs of 17.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.1 steals in guiding UCSD to an overall record of 25-4, tallied 127 points on the ballot to claim player of the year accolades by the slimmest of margins. Dunbar finished with 126 points to finish second in the balloting, while Taylor was third with 125.

Selected as the California Collegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player last week, Carlisle was one of five players named to the all-region first team, which is selected by the sports information directors at schools sponsoring women's basketball in the region. Guards Reyana Colson of Cal Poly Pomona and Samantha Murphy of Grand Canyon rounded out the top five.

Colson was a first team pick a year ago, while Murphy earned second team honors in 2008-09. Carlisle, Dunbar, and Taylor all earned regional honors for the first time.

Carlisle is the second straight Triton to earn the honor, following Michelle Osier last season, and the fourth player from UCSD to be selected in the past five years.

The second team honorees were guards Daesha Henderson of Seattle Pacific and Neka Mixon of Cal State Dominguez Hills and forwards Jessica Summers of Western Washington, Nicci Miller of Alaska Anchorage, and Dara Zack of Saint Martin's.

Players selected to the West Region First Team will now be listed on the Daktronics All-American national ballot. The All-American team will be announced later this month. The west region includes teams from the CCAA, Great Northwest Athletic Conference, and Pacific West Conference.

2010 Daktronics West Regional Women's Basketball Team

First Team
Chelsea Carlisle, UC San Diego • G, 5-6, So., Agoura Hills, CA
Amanda Dunbar, Western Washington • G, 5-9, Jr., Marysville, WA
Brittney Taylor, Humboldt State • C, 6-0, Sr., Playa del Rey, CA
Reyana Colson, Cal Poly Pomona • G, 5-6, Jr., Compton, CA
Samantha Murphy, Grand Canyon • G, 5-8, So., Phoenix, AZ

Second Team
Daesha Henderson, Seattle Pacific • G, 5-8, Sr., Snohomish, WA
Neka Mixon, CSU Dominguez Hills • G, 5-10, Jr., Long Beach, CA
Jessica Summers, Western Washington • F, 6-1, Sr., Blaine, WA
Nicci Miller, Alaska Anchorage • F, 5-10, Sr., Denver, CO
Dara Zack, Saint Martin's • F, 5-10, Jr., Spokane, WA