WASHINGTON - The Georgetown University women's basketball team held its annual banquet on Wednesday evening in Nolan Hall at the Thompson Center. The event included players, coaches, staff and donors as the accomplishments of the 2017-18 squad were recognized.

Following dinner and a welcome from former Hoya Monica McNutt, Head Coach James Howard gave his remarks and announced the team award winners.

Junior guard Dionna White (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill ) was named the Team MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and the Chief of the Charity Stripe. White led the Hoyas in scoring with 18.7 ppg and was second in rebounding with 6.5 rpg. She led the BIG EAST Conference in steals with 88, which ranked her 21st in the nation, and also had 99 assists on the season. At the line, white shot 80.5 percent (107-for-133) to lead the team. White was the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-BIG EAST honoree.

Senior forward Cynthia Petke (Yaounde, Cameroon/ - /Chipola College) won Most Improved and the Chairwoman of the Boards. Petke was GU's second-leading scorer averaging 14.3 ppg as well as 10.2 rpg. She managed 19 double-doubles on the season ranking her ninth in the country and was second in the BIG EAST in rebounding. Petke was the BIG EAST Most Improved Player, an Honorable Mention All-BIG EAST selection and named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team.

Senior guard Mikayla Venson (Arlington, Va./Yorktown/Virginia) won the Sharp Shooter Award as well as the Swish and Dish Award. Venson was GU's third-leading scorer with 13.2 ppg hitting an impressive 38.3 percent (51-of-133) from beyond the arc. She had 83 assists on the year and also averaged 2.0 rpg.

Senior center Yazmine Belk (Queens, N.Y./Nazareth) won the Air Traffic Control Award for her achievements in the paint. The center led the BIG EAST in blocks with 52. She closes out her career ranked fourth all-time in blocks for the program with 124. Belk averaged 4.7 ppg as well as 6.2 rpg.

Senior guard DiDi Burton (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore City College Prep) won the Hustle Award for her efforts throughout the season. The four-year starter averaged 4.3 ppg and 2.7 rpg. She had 132 assists and a 2.93 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranked her 10th in the nation.

The Academic Award went to freshman forward Sari Cureton (Farmington, Mich./Walled Lake Western) for the highest GPA on the team, the Hoyas averaged over a 3.0 this past year. The Iron Hoya Award was given to junior Brianna Jones (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon/Louisville) for her efforts in the weight room, and the Spirit Stick went to sophomore guard Marvellous Osagie-Erese (East Orange, N.J./East Orange STEM Academy) for the second year in a row.

Howard announced a new award in honor of Senior Woman Administrator Sharon Brummell's mother who passed away after a battle with cancer at the end of the season. She was a huge women's basketball team supporter and inspired the squad on a daily basis. The Ruth Jones Award was given to sophomore Morgan Smith (Upper Marlboro, Md./Riverdale Baptist) for the faith she has shown throughout the year and her dedication to prayer. Howard said it would be awarded every year in Jones' honor.

Varsity letters were awarded before the playing of the season highlight video.

Georgetown ended the season with a mark of 16-16 overall. The team made history advancing to the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals for the first time in 19 seasons, and made it to the second round of the WNIT for the first time since 2009. The squad will graduate three seniors, but will have a solid core of players returning in 2018-19.