Francis Marion University point guard Kiara Croskey has been named the Conference Carolinas women's basketball Freshman of the Month for February, the fourth consecutive month she has garnered the award.

A native of Sumter, S.C., Croskey started every game during February and averaged 12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.8 steals per game to help lead Francis Marion to a 9-0 mark.

For the month, she shot 47.4 percent from the floor, 34.5 percent from behind the three-point arc, and 71.4 percent at the free throw line. She scored in double figures six times, including a pair of 20-point efforts.  She posted a career-high 25 points and nine rebounds in a win over Emmanuel University and registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Barton College.

Francis Marion shared the East Division crown and was the top seeded in the recent conference tournament, losing a narrow one-point decision in the title game.  The 23-6 Patriots are the fourth seed in this week's NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament, to be hosted by the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, Ga.  FMU will face fifth-seeded Columbus State University in a first-round game on Friday (March 14) at 7:30 p.m.

Croskey is a product of Sumter High School and is majoring in biology.


       Kiara Croskey