Bridgeport, W. Va. - On Monday, the Mountain East Conference (MEC) released its 2022 Women's Basketball All-MEC team and yearly awards. The Wheeling University Women's Basketball team had one representative on the list as junior Lauren Calhoun was named to the All-MEC First Team after a breakout season. It was the first All-MEC honor of Calhoun's career as she emerged as not only a top offensive threat for Wheeling, but also one of the top scorers in the MEC. 

Calhoun ended the regular season already setting new career highs in almost every statistical category for the Cardinals. She set new career highs in points (507), Rebounds (299), defensive rebounds (221), Points per game (19.5) and rebounds per game (11.5). She earned the MEC's scoring crown by leading the conference with 507 points and an average of 19.5 points per game, while finishing third in the conference with 11.5 rebounds per game. 

Calhoun was a key player on both sides of the ball for the Cardinals, totaling 17 double doubles throughout the season and 11 in her last 12 games. Calhoun's biggest effort of the season came against Fairmont State back on January 24th when the team went on the road to take on Fairmont State. Calhoun scored 25 points in that game and grabbed 21 rebounds as she led her team to an upset win over the Falcons. Calhoun eclipsed the 20 rebound mark twice this season and registered 15 or more rebounds in a game six times this season.

As the season went on, Calhoun just kept getting better and she finished out the season on a high-note over her final two games. She scored a combined 38 points between West Liberty and Alderson Broaddus, with her biggest total coming in a 26-point effort against the Battlers. She scored more than five times the points she put up in her previous season and has developed as a leader for the Cardinals program moving forward into the rest of her junior and senior seasons.

It was the second straight season that the Cardinals had an All-MEC First Team award winner after former Cardinal Lilly Ritz took home the award last season. It was the first All-MEC honor of Calhoun's career and she looks to build off the momentum as the team heads into the MEC playoffs. Overall, the Cardinals have had 18 student-athletes earn All-MEC honors this season throughout the fall and winter sports seasons.

Lauren Calhoun and the Wheeling Women's Basketball team open MEC Tournament play on Wednesday when they take on #8 seeded Alderson Broaddus with tip-off at 2:30 pm.