HICKORY, N.C. - Aaliyah El has been named a Honorable Mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. She becomes the fifth All-American in program history and the first since Jazmine Charles in 2014. 

The junior from Charlotte, N.C., led the team with an average of 17.6 ppg on .501 shooting from the field. She scored in double-figures in all but three games and posted 13 games of 20 or more points. In addition to her offense, El is the team leader with 71 steals. Her 545 total points ranks fifth on Lenoir-Rhyne's all-time single-season list.

Thanks in part to El, the Bears won the SAC Regular Season Championship for the first time since 2013-14 and advanced to the first NCAA Division II Regional Championship game in program history.

Also highlighted in the WBCA's press release was head coach Emry Tistouris, who was one of eight finalists for National Coach of the Year. In her lone season at the helm coach Tsitouris led the Bears to a 26-6 record and the second highest scoring offense in the country. Grand Valley State's Mike Williams won the award for the second consecutive year.