RUSSELVILLE, Ark. (March 23) – Wheeling University women's basketball sophomore forward Lilly Ritz (Cambridge, Ohio/Cambridge) has been named a Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Second-Team All-American announced the organization Monday afternoon.

Ritz becomes the first Cardinal women's basketball player to earn an All-America honor since Michelle Adriaansen earned All-American honors from the NAIA in 1985.
 
Ritz led Wheeling in nearly every statistical category this season and established multiple school records. She ranked 15th in Division II and third in the MEC with 21.0 points and led the nation with 16.0 rebounds per game. An all-around player, Ritz also finished 21st in Division II and second in the league with 2.20 blocked shots per game, as well as 45th nationally and fourth in the MEC with 2.47 steals per game.
 
The Cambridge, Ohio native posted 25 double doubles, the third most in Division II, and made 59.3 percent of her field goal attempts to slot 10th nationally and fourth in the MEC.

Ritz established school records this season in points (630), rebounds (480), rebounds per game, blocked shots (66), blocked shots per game, field goals made (264), double-doubles (25), defensive rebounds per game (10.4), and offensive rebounds per game (5.6).  
 
Ritz caught the attention of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) earlier this season when she tied the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball single-game record with 36 rebounds to help the Cardinals pull out a 75-72 win over West Virginia State. That performance garnered her the organization's Division II Player of the Week honors.
 
During that week, Ritz averaged 28.0 points, 28.5 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and 2.0 assists per game, while shooting 61 percent from the field.

Ritz was one of only two selections from the MEC. Urbana's Tyra James, the MEC and D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year, was named a First-Team All-American.

Sports information directors from across NCAA Division II schools and conferences selected the three D2CCA All-America teams and the honorable mention list.

The team is sponsored by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association, which encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.