SEWARD, Neb. – Standout scorer and playmaker Taysha Rushton headlined the list of four Concordia University Women’s Basketball student-athletes named to the 2022 Midlands NAIA/D-III Team, as selected by the Omaha World-Herald and released on Sunday (April 17). Rushton earned a spot on the five-member Midlands Team while Rylee Pauli, Sadie Powell and Mackenzie Toomey were recognized with honorable mention status by the news outlet.
The Omaha World-Herald chooses its All-Midlands team out of the pool of women’s basketball student-athletes that play at NAIA or NCAA Division III Nebraska colleges and universities. The complete team can be viewed at bottom.
Named both First Team All-GPAC and an Honorable Mention All-American in 2021-22, Rushton shined in her second season with the Bulldogs. The Midland, Texas, native averaged 17.7 points (fifth most among GPAC players), 3.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 38.3 percent from the field, 33.0 percent from 3-point range and 76.3 percent from the foul line. Over 60 career games played at Concordia, Rushton has totaled 959 points, 161 rebounds, 154 assists and 99 steals. Rushton already ranks 12th in program history with 145 career 3-point field goals.
Pauli (Omaha, Neb.) was the team’s only player to start all 30 games this past season. She received Honorable Mention All-GPAC accolades and averaged 7.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.5 assists per game. Pauli shot 51.7 percent from the floor and 65.4 percent from the foul line. She finished her four-year playing career with totals of 608 points, 530 rebounds, 169 steals and 124 assists in 123 games.
A Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native, Powell ranked second on the team in scoring in 2021-22 while averaging 9.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. She also picked up Honorable Mention All-GPAC laurels. Powell shot 47.9 percent from the floor, 27.3 percent from 3-point range and 61.3 percent from the foul line.
Toomey appeared in all 30 games and made 10 starts in 2021-22. The Lincoln Southeast High School alum averaged 6.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.7 assists per game. She shot 33.8 percent from the floor, 24.7 percent from 3-point range and 52.0 percent from the foul line.
2022 NAIA/D-III Midlands Team
G, *Mak Hatcliff, Fr., Doane
G, Alyssa Marsh-Contreras, Sr., College of St. Mary
G, Taysha Rushton, Fr., Concordia
G, Peyton Wingert, Sr., Midland
C, Elexis Martinez, Sr., Bellevue
Honorable mention: Bellevue: Faith Ross, Asha Scott. Concordia: Rylee Pauli, Sadie Powell, Mackenzie Toomey. Doane: Maddie Davis, Olivia Nall. Hastings: Taylor Beacom, Riley Clavel, Ali Smith. Midland: Erin Prusa. Nebraska Wesleyan: Delaney Roberts, Anna Vandenack. Peru State: Maddy Duncan, Hailey Ingram, Samantha Stewart. CSM: Sidney Anderson, Honnah Leo. York: Amaia Diez, Jula Trujillo.