CHARLOTTE, N.C.- For the third straight season, the Florida SouthWestern State Women's Basketball team has an NJCAA All-American.  After Tina Stephens secured the honors in 2018 and 2019, sophomore guard Za'Nautica Downs followed suit on Tuesday as she was tabbed a Second Team selection to write the final chapter in her Buccaneer career.  

 

Downs put together one of the best seasons in program history in 2019-2020, finishing second on the school's all-time single season list, scoring 580 points and averaging 18.7 points per game on the year.  Her 85 three pointers made shattered an FSW single season record while her 65 steals on the year on the defensive end were fourth most in a category where she set the school record as a freshman last season.  She shot 37% from the three point line this season and connected on 84% of her 142 free throw attempts on the year  which ranked third in the state.  

 

Downs picked up just about every award possible during her sophomore season as she has now been named a Second Team All-American by both the NJCAA and World Exposure, while also being named the Suncoast Conference Player of the Year, First Team All-State, and First Team All-Conference, while scooping up NJCAA National and FCSAA State Player of the Week awards during the season.  

 

Downs was one of five players from the state of Florida to receive All-American honors, joining National Player of the Year candidate Ahlana Smith from Gulf Coast, fellow second teamer Daliyah Brown of Miami Dade, and Chanaya Pinto and Raven Peeples of Northwest Florida State who earned Third Team and Honorable Mention honors respectively. 

 

Downs committed to the University of North Carolina-Wilmington last week and will sign her National Letter of Intent on NCAA National Signing Day on April 15th.