Ole Miss’ Austin, MSU’s Molinar named state’s top basketball players

Published 2:36 pm Monday, March 7, 2022

JACKSON — Iverson Molinar brought the Howell Trophy back to Mississippi State, while Shakira Austin kept the Gillom Trophy with Ole Miss.

Molinar and Austin won the awards as the top men’s and women’s college basketball players in Mississippi, respectively, Monday in Jackson.

Molinar is the fourth Mississippi State player in five years to win the Howell Trophy, while Austin won the Gillom Trophy for the second season in a row.

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Molinar beat out Southern Miss’ Tyler Stevenson and Ole Miss’ Jarkel Joiner to win the Howell Trophy.

Molinar led the Bulldogs in scoring, and ranks third in the Southeastern Conference, with 17.8 points per game. He is one of two active Power 5 players with two consecutive seasons of 500-plus points, and his streak of 31 consecutive games in double figures is a Mississippi State record.

Molinar has scored or assisted on 37.1 percent of State’s points this season. He also leads the team in assists, with 3.7 per game.

Austin, meanwhile, became the fourth player to win the Gillom Trophy multiple times in its 15-year history. She is also the only Ole Miss player to ever win it.

The 6-foot-5 center is averaging 15.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, both team-bests. She ranks fourth in the SEC with 63 blocked shots.

Austin recently eclipsed the 1,000-career rebound mark to become one of seven active players in Division I with 1,500 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. She was a first-team All-SEC selection and also was named to the conference’s All-Tournament team.

The other Gillom Trophy finalists were Ameshya Williams-Holliday of Jackson State, and Anastasia Hayes of Mississippi State.

Howell Trophy winners
2022 – Iverson Molinar, Mississippi State
2021 – Devontae Shuler, Ole Miss
2020 – Reggie Perry, Mississippi State
2019 – Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi State
2018 – Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi State
2017 – Sebastian Saiz, Ole Miss
2016 – Stefan Moody, Ole Miss
2015 – Stefan Moody, Ole Miss
2014 – Jarvis Summers, Ole Miss
2013 – Marshall Henderson, Ole Miss
2012 – Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
2011 – Gary Flowers, Southern Miss
2010 – Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State
2009 – Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State
2008 – Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State
2007 – Trey Johnson, Jackson State
2006 – Jasper Johnson, Delta State
2005 – Lawrence Roberts, Mississippi State
———
Gillom Trophy winners
2022 – Shakira Austin, Ole Miss
2021 – Shakira Austin, Ole Miss
2020 – Rickea Jackson, Mississippi State
2019 – Teaira McCowan, Mississippi State
2018 – Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
2017 – Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
2016 – Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
2015 – Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State
2014 – Jamierra Faulkner, Southern Miss
2013 – Martha Alwal, Mississippi State
2012 – Veronica Walker, Delta State
2011 – Veronica Walker, Delta State
2010 – Alexis Rack, Mississippi State
2009 – Alexis Rack, Mississippi State
2008 – Jennifer Rushing, Delta State