Four Hawks Bring Home All-Conference Honors

ATLANTA, Ga.- The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) has unveiled its 2025-26 Women's Basketball All-Conference honorees, as voted on by the league's head coaches, highlighting a season defined by standout individual performances and program-defining leadership. LaGrange's Laila Battle headlines the list after earning both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Piedmont's Kylie Watkins was named Rookie of the Year and teammate Gracie Deetz claimed Sixth Woman of the Year recognition. In his first season at the helm, Steve Kenner guided LaGrange to new heights and was voted CCS Coach of the Year.

Huntingdon saw four different Hawks receive all-conference honors, as Makayla Ford led the way with a first team all-conference selection followed by second-team performers Charity Shaw and Deshauna Foote. Jayla Carter rounds things out for Huntingdon as the all-sportsmanship team selection.

Ford, a senior guard from Huntsville, Alabama, finished the season as the Hawks top scorer with an average of 15 points per game. On the defensive end, she tacked on more than 3 steals a night, anchoring Huntingdon on that end of the court as well. She scored in double digits in all but four contests, including a 34 point season opener against Berry and a 32 point outing against MUW. In a contest at Piedmont, she tied the CCS record for steals in a single game with 10, recording a double double with 16 points. She finished atop the conference leaders in steals by a healthy margin and ranked inside the top 5 in scoring. 

Serving as Huntingdon's starting center, Charity Shaw was critical to Huntingdon's success, recording multiple double doubles on the year as she averaged 10 points and 6 rebounds a night. She finished among the league leaders in each statistical category playing 21 minutes per night, providing key contributions in all 25 of the teams matchups this season. 

Leading the CCS in assists per game with over three a night, senior guard Deshauna Foote partnered with Makayla Ford in Huntingdon's electric backcourt. On the season, she averaged 8.4 points per game to go along with 3 rebounds and the previously mentioned 3 assists a game through an average of 26 minutes per game. 

Rounding out the Hawks all-conference honorees is Jayla Carter. The senior guard from Columbus, Georgia, has been a part of the Huntingdon Women's Basketball team for four seasons now, providing a consistent leadership presence throughout the year. 

See below for the comprehensive list of all-conference honorees and superlative awards.

Player of the Year & Defensive Player of the Year | Laila Battle, LaGrange

Battle, a Georgia native, delivered one of the most complete seasons in conference play, earning both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. The senior guard averaged 17.1 points per game, finishing second in the conference in scoring while serving as the engine behind LaGrange's championship-caliber run. Battle showcased efficiency across the board, ranking sixth in field goal percentage (.416), fifth in free throw percentage (.809), and fourth in three-point percentage (.333), knocking down at least two three-pointers per game. Beyond her scoring ability, she impacted the game in multiple facets, tallying 61 assists, 49 steals, and 13 blocks. She ranked ninth in assists (2.4 per game) and seventh in steals (2.0 per game), underscoring her two-way presence. Her season was punctuated by several standout performances, including a 35-point outing in a win over Asbury and a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double in a victory against Maryville. Battle eclipsed the 20-point mark in 10 games this season leading the Panthers to the top seed going into the tournament. Battle becomes the first Panther in CCS history to earn both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors, a milestone achievement after beginning her career as the league's Sixth Player of the Year during her freshman season.

Rookie of the Year | Kylie Watkins, Piedmont

Kylie Watkins made an immediate impact in her debut season, earning Rookie of the Year honors after being named CCS Rookie of the Week seven times. The freshman forward averaged 11.3 points and 6.36 rebounds per game while emerging as one of the league's most versatile contributors. Watkins ranked second in the conference in total assists (74) and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0). Defensively, she added 53 steals and 15 blocks, further highlighting her all-around contributions in her first season with the Lions.

Sixth Woman of the Year | Gracie Deetz, Piedmont

Gracie Deetz provided a spark off the bench all season long, earning Sixth Player of the Year honors after consistently delivering in key moments. The junior forward averaged 9.54 points and 6.25 rebounds per game while recording four double doubles this season. Her season-high 11 rebounds came in a pivotal season-finale home victory over Maryville, showcasing her impact in high-pressure situations. Deetz also contributed defensively with 29 steals and 28 blocks, in addition to 23 assists.

Coach of the Year | Steve Kenner, LaGrange

In his first season at the helm, Coach Steve Kenner guided LaGrange to the No. 1 seed in the CCS Tournament. The Panthers finished 18-7 overall and 14-2 in conference play — the program's best record since 2023-24 — and earned the right to host the CCS Tournament for the first time. Kenner's leadership helped elevate LaGrange to the top of the standings, setting the tone for a postseason run on their home floor.

Piedmont led the way with four all-conference selections, followed by Asbury, Covenant, Huntingdon, and LaGrange with three selections each. Belhaven earned two spots on the all-conference team, while Wesleyan rounded out this year's honorees with one selection.

The 2025-26 CCS Women's Basketball Championship Tournament begins today with quarterfinal matchups as No. 3 Asbury hosts No. 6 Huntingdon and No. 4 Piedmont faces No. 5 Maryville. The winners of these games will advance to the semifinals on Friday, where top-seeded LaGrange and No. 2 Belhaven await. LaGrange College will serve as the host for both the semifinals and the championship game, which will take place on Saturday, February 28, when this season's CCS champion will be crowned.

2025-26 CCS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SUPERLATIVE AWARDS

Player of the Year & Defensive Player of the Year: Laila Battle, LaGrange

Rookie of the Year: Kylie Watkins, Piedmont

Sixth Player of the Year: Gracie Deetz, Piedmont

Coach of the Year: Steve Kenner, LaGrange

2025-26 CCS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

2025-26 CCS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM

For more information surrounding the CCS Women's Basketball tournament, visit collegiateconferenceofthesouth.com