HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State Community College’s rising women’s basketball’s sophomores Payton Golden and Tatyanna Davis and Lady Lions’ assistant coach Hannah Nichols have each been selected to participate in the 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Weekend, which is scheduled for July 29-31 in Atlanta.
Wallace State women’s basketball has had a player selected to the All-Star festivities for three consecutive summers. The event, which is held at Clayton State University, features 40 of the top rising sophomores in the country.
“Payton and Tatyanna both have unique skill sets and confidence in their abilities. Payton did a little bit of everything for us last season. She can play 40 minutes a game if needed and can beat an opponent multiple ways,” said Wallace State coach Jessica McBrayer. “Tatyanna is an athlete. She can defend both ends of the floor and never gets tired. She does the dirty work that does not show up in the box score.
“Neither player is flashy nor worries about the limelight. They’re both earning recognition for doing their jobs well on the basketball court.”
Golden, a Fairview graduate, was an Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) All-North Division second-team selection as a freshman after starting all 19 games. The 5-foot-8 guard was second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.5 points, and dished out a team-high 81 assists.
Davis was the unquestioned high motor for the Lady Lions last season during a COVID-19-shortened 12-7 campaign. The Lee grad averaged 6.9 points, a team-high 6.3 rebounds and added 27 blocks.
Golden and Davis join Jiselle Woodson (2020) and Imari Martin (2019) as Wallace State All-Star Weekend selections under McBrayer’s tutelage.
During the 2021-22 season, Nichols will enter her third season as a Wallace State assistant coach. Nichols, a Madison County High graduate and former star at Samford, is one of four assistants across the NJCAA women’s basketball ranks to be selected to lead a team during the All-Star Weekend. Four teams are comprised of 10 players each at the event.
“It’s awesome recognition for our program and for the current team. Our incoming freshmen get to see you don’t have to be a superstar to get recognized. If you work hard to put your best foot forward, good things can happen to you as it has for Payton and Tatyanna,” McBrayer said. “I’m also thrilled for Hannah Nichols. It’s an awesome acknowledgement for her, especially since she’s entering her third year as a college assistant. She’s a great asset to our program.” For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu or the athletics Facebook page at www.wallacestate.edu/athleticsfb.
