Four members of the Francis Marion University women's basketball team were recognized by Conference Carolinas on Thursday (March 6) as the league announced its annual post-season awards.

Patriot head coach Jeri Porter was named the conference's Coach of the Year, while point guard Kiara Croskey was voted the Freshman of the Year.  Junior guard-forward Trinity Adams was named to the first-team All-Conference Team, while senior forward Kiana Lee was selected to the third-team.  Adams was also named to the 2025 All-Defensive Team.

Both Adams and Lee are second-time honorees as Adams was a second-team All-Conference selection in 2024 and Lee was a second-team pick in 2023.

Porter guided the Patriots to a 22-5 regular season mark, a No.21 nationally ranking, and a current nine-game winning streak.  FMU shared the East Division title and is the top seed in this week's Atlantic Casualty Insurance Conference Carolinas Tournament in Spartanburg, S.C.

In her 10th season on the FMU bench, Porter's 166 wins ranks second among all Patriot coaches.  Altogether, Porter has 25 years experience as a collegiate head coach and has recorded 374 career victories.

Croskey, a native of Sumter, S.C., started all 27 games this season and averaged 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.  She connected on 45.5 percent of her field goal attempts (seventh-best in the conference) and shot 80.0 percent at the free throw line.  She scored in double figures 18 times, including three 20-point games.  She was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week three times this season and the Freshman of the Month three times. She ranks among the Top 5 in the conference for steals per game, minutes played per game (34.9), and assists-to-turnovers ratio (1.6).

Adams, a native of Rock Hill, S.C., led FMU in scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg), while also averaging 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per contest and blocking 20 shots.  She shot 38.6 percent from the floor and 76.4 percent at the foul line.  She registered double-figure scoring in 23 games, including five 20-point outings.  She was named the conference Player of the Week three times this season and the Defensive Player of the Week once.  She was ranked among the Top 25 in eight of the 11 statistical categories in the conference.

Lee, a native of North Augusta, S.C., averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game despite missing eight games due to an injury.  She ranked ninth in the conference in scoring and scored in double figures 15 times with three 20-point efforts.  She is currently 22nd on the Patriots' career scoring list with 1,210 points and 30th in career rebounds at 529.

Francis Marion will play in the first semifinal contest on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in Wofford College's Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium against the winner of Friday's quarterfinal game between fourth-seeded UNC Pembroke (22-7) and fifth-seeded Young Harris College (21-8).

Daily admission tickets are $12 for adults and $2 for students with children 14-and-under free.  Conference Carolinas member institution's faculty and student are admitted free with valid identification.  Tickets are available at https://conferencecarolinas.com/sports/2020/7/12/GEN_0712200357.aspx?

Saturday's second semifinal will tip-off at 2:45 p.m. with the championship game set for Sunday at 1 p.m.

Adams is a product of South Pointe High School and is majoring in business, while Lee graduated from North Augusta High School and is majoring in mass communications and Croskey graduated from Sumter High School and is majoring in biology.