MSU redshirt junior guard Aerial Powers has earned third-team All-American honors by the Associated Press on Monday, according to a press release.
Powers becomes MSU’s first third-team AP All-American and is the Spartans’ first two-time AP All-American since Liz Shimek in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Powers’ honor is the eighth Spartan in program history to earn All-American honors by the AP.
Powers is one of four players from the Big Ten on the AP All-America first through third team lists. Kelsey Mitchell of Ohio State and Rachel Banham of Minnesota were selected to the first-team while Maryland's Shatori Walker-Kimbrough is on the second-team list. Those four honorees are part of the seven total players from the Big Ten recognized as Ameryst Alston of Ohio State, Nia Coffey of Northwestern and Brionna Jones of Maryland were honored as well.
Powers had another record-setting season in 2015-16, becoming the MSU career scoring leader with 1,817 career points, passing Shimek’s 1,780 points from 2002-06. Powers also passed her own single-season scoring record with 697 points this season, topping her 678 points last year. Additionally, Powers is the current MSU record holder for career points per game at 18.9. Powers grabbed 293 rebounds this season, moving up to No. 6 on the Spartans’ single-season rebounds list. She also now has 937 boards for her career, passing Kris Emerson (1983-87) for No. 4 on the Spartans’ career rebounds list, as Emerson had 933.
This season, Powers also broke the MSU career free throws made record, now with 438. Her 161 makes from the charity stripe this season is just behind her 170 made free throws last season, giving her the top two spots on MSU’s single-season free throws made list.
Powers is eligible for the WNBA draft, but has yet to make a decision on whether or not she will be returning next season.
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