April 4, 2008
2008 Big 5 Complete Release in PDF Format 
PHILADELPHIA - Carlene Hightower's week continues to get better. On Thursday, she was invited to attend the WNBA's Pre-Draft Camp - one of approximately 40 players invited - in Tampa, and Friday, the La Salle University senior was named the Philadelphia Big 5 Women's Basketball Player of the Year. Junior Margaret Elderton was also honored as a Second Team member and senior Melanie Gibbons was named to the All-Academic Team.
Hightower becomes just the third woman from La Salle to earn the honor - Jenn Cole in 1992 was the first and Chrissie Donahue was the other, more than a decade ago, in 1995. Hightower is also only the eighth Explorer - male or female - to receive the award in the Big 5's history, joining Men's players Ken Durrett (1969, 1970, 1971), Charlie Wise (1976), Michael Brooks (1978, 1980), Ralph Lewis (1984), and Lionel Simmons (1988, 1989, 1990).
She also ends the three-year reign of Temple Owls earning the honor. Last year, Owl Kamesha Hairston was the Player of the Year and the prior two (2005 and 2006) Candice Dupree was the selection. If the trend continues, it looks good for Hightower, as both of those players were selected in the WNBA draft following their senior seasons. The Big 5's Most Improved Player in 2006 was also named to the Big 5 First Team for the second straight year.
Hightower finished second in the Atlantic 10 Conference in scoring (17.0 ppg) and was 13th in rebounding (6.5 rpg). She finished in the top 15 in four other categories, including seventh in steals (1.79 pg). She also led all A-10 players with three 30-point games, two in A-10 games, and 12 20-point games. Her six 20-point games in the A-10 was tied for the high, which led to four A-10 Player of the Week honors, tied for the most during the 2007-08 season.
Among other career highlights, Hightower was one of 10 Finalists for the 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award - earning Second Team honors - and is only the fourth Explorer to score at least 500 points and grab 200 rebounds in a single season (525/213 as a junior) and have back-to-back 500-point seasons in the 36-year history of women's basketball at La Salle. She finished her career at La Salle with her name in the top 10 all-time in 10 career categories and seven single-season categories.
Elderton makes the Big 5 Second Team after averaging 9.0 points per game in her first season in the Blue and Gold, which was third on the team. The junior finished second on the team in assists with 75, adding 72 boards, and 19 steals to her totals. She shot 41.0% from the floor and 42.4% from the three-point line.
On Feb 6, 2008, Elderton showed what type of scoring she could be as she poured in 32 points in a 66-63 loss to Massachusetts. The total is the most by an Explorer in Tom Gola Arena and the most points since Jan 6, 1997, when Donahue also scored 32, against Duquesne.
Gibbons, a 2008 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine All-District 2 Second Team selection - the first academic regional honor for La Salle since Jen Zenszer (2001) - was the logical choice for the Big 5 All-Academic Team. She finished the season fifth on the team in scoring (5.9 ppg), second in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and blocks, third in steals and fourth in assists. Her 56.5% shooting from the floor during the season was the fifth-best for a single season at the school.
