Star Freshman Named Conference Rookie of the Year

Old Westbury women's basketball team did not have the kind of year it wanted. The Panthers finished 12-13 (7-11 in conference) and failed to make the Skyline Conference Playoffs. However, there was a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy season; Krystina Agard, freshman guard for the Panthers, was named Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year on March 1^st.

Eighteen year-old Agard from Rosedale, Queens, had an outstanding freshman campaign. According to OldWestburyPanthers.com, the 5'8" Agard led the Panthers in most statistical categories including minutes played, scoring, assists, steals, and blocks. She also received Rookie of the Week awards in ten out of a possible fourteen weeks. Agard's most impressive performance of the year came in a December 23^rd tilt with the College of Staten Island where she poured in forty-two points, while dishing out eight assists and racking up seven steals.

By the time the season was over, Agard had some of the most impressive numbers in all of Division 3 Women's Hoops. According to NCAA.org, Agard was sixth in the nation in scoring (23.2 per game), eighteenth in steals (3.8 per game), and thirty-sixth in assists (4.8 per game).

Since Agard led the team in many statistical categories, the question of leadership popped up. Agard mentioned that she deferred to her older teammates to assume most of the leadership role on the team. "I tend more to lead by example," said Agard.

Agard developed a love for basketball at a young age. When asked who the major basketball influences in her life were, she said her father and uncle were mostly responsible for getting her started with the sport. "Both my father and my uncle played in college, so I was around basketball all the time growing up," said Agard. Although she loves the Knicks, as do her father and uncle, her favorite player growing up was Allen Iverson. Now that Iverson is no longer in the league, she tries to pattern her game after the Miami Heat guard, Dwyane Wade.

Agard went on to stardom at August Martin High School in Jamaica, Queens and had several local schools like Molloy, Dowling and Concordia after her to attend. When asked why she eventually settled on Old Westbury, she said she liked coach, Michael Krasnoff and the small personal atmosphere provided at Old Westbury.

Agard's off the court interests include psychology and art. She is currently a psychology major although she doesn't quite know what career path she wants to take yet. In her spare time she enjoys drawing as a hobby. Overall she mentioned that she has enjoyed her freshman experience here on campus.

Even with all the individual praise and accolades Agard has achieved this year, her focus still remains on team goals. The first thing she mentioned when asked about next season was that she really wants the team to make the playoffs. Only time will tell if the Panthers can achieve this goal next year. What we do know is that every playoff team needs a superstar to build around, and Old Westbury certainly has one, Krystina Agard.