ODESSA, Texas (March 5, 2025) – The Lone Star Conference released its 2024-25 Basketball Award Winners and All-Conference Players during Wednesday night's awards banquet, and the list of honorees featured three members of the UT Permian Basin women's team, highlighted by Taysha Rushton being named the LSC Newcomer of the Year.

Taysha Rushton – Sr., Guard – LSC Newcomer of the Year, First-Team All-LSC
Rushton is the second-straight Falcon to be named a First-Team All-LSC selection while also earning an individual LSC award, joining Alexus Quaadman, who was named the LSC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference in 2023-24. Heading into the postseason, Rushton leads the Falcons with 16.9 points per game, 49 steals, 153 made field goals, 73 made 3-pointers and 95 free throws made during her lone season at UTPB. She also averages 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 153-of-417 (36.7 percent) from the field, 73-of-212 (34.4 percent) from three and 95-of-121 (78.5 percent) from the free throw line. She has scored at least 20 points in 10 games this season, including in seven straight games from February 1 to February 22. Rushton is 18th in all of NCAA Division II in made 3-pointers, is 22nd in 3-pointers per game (2.61), and is 53rd in points (474). Rushton also leads the LSC in total 3-pointers and 3-pointers made per game; is third in 3-point field goal percentage, total points and points per game; is fifth in total steals (49); is sixth in total assists (93); and is seventh in free throw percentage and made free throws. In her lone season with the Falcons, she has moved herself into the UTPB record books with single-season rankings of fourth in points (474), fifth in field goals made (153) and seventh in made 3-pointers (73).

In UTPB's thrilling 87-79 victory over Texas A&M University-Kingsville on December 7, 2024, Rushton scored a season-high 38 points and made eight 3-pointers. Rushton's 38 points were the third most in program history, were the most scored in a game since 2012 and were the most ever for UTPB against a Lone Star Conference opponent. For her effort, Rushton was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the week and was later named UTPB's Edgardo Madrid & Associates Women's Student-Athlete of the Month for December.

Khiara Flugence – Jr., Center – Third-Team All-LSC
Flugence is one of three Falcons to start in all 28 games this season; leads UTPB with 7.8 rebounds per game, 11 total blocks and a 63.7 percent (114-179) field goal percentage; and is second on the team with 9.6 points per game. She tied her career-high with 18 points in a 77-62 win over Eastern New Mexico University (1/9/25) and has reached double-digit rebounds in seven games this year. She shot at least 50 percent from the field in 23 of 28 games, and shot at least 60 percent from the field 18 times, at least 70 percent 13 times, and at least 80 percent eight times. Flugence is 30th in the nation with 3.5 offensive rebounds per game. Overall on the boards, Flugence is third in the LSC in both offensive rebounds per game and total offensive rebounds (99), and is sixth in the conference in total rebounds per game. Flugence also leads the LSC in field goal percentage, leading the league by .041 percent.

Flugence was named the LSC Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending on Sunday, January 5, 2025, after posting double-digit rebounds to go along with at least one block and one steal in each game in the road wins against Sul Ross State University (79-50) and Western New Mexico University (83-54). She grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds, including nine defensive rebounds, and two blocks at Sul Ross State (1/3/25).

Avalon Munoz – Gr., Guard – LSC All-Defensive Team
Munoz, who was also named Third-Team All-LSC in 2022-23, is the second Falcon to be named to the LSC All-Defensive Team, joining Quaadman (2022-23; 2023-24), the 2023-24 LSC Defensive Player of the Year. She was one of three Falcons to start in all 28 games this season and is averaging 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game while leading the Falcons with 108 assists and ranking second with 46 steals and 71 made free throws. Munoz is second in the LSC and 45th in the country in individual assist/turnover ratio (+1.71). She is also ranked second in the conference in assists per game and is fourth in total assists (108).

In UTPB's 67-57 home win over Angelo State University in its LSC opener this season on Saturday, November 23, 2024, Munoz became the Falcons' all-time leader in minutes played with 3,275 minutes at the time. Then with 8:15 to go in the second quarter of UTPB's 68-46 home win over Western New Mexico University on Thursday, January 30, 2025, Munoz hit a long two-point jumper to reach the 1,000-career point mark.

In the UTPB career record books, Munoz ranks first all-time in minutes played (4,029) and is second in games played (133), second in assists (519), second in steals (271), second in free throws made (382), third in rebounds (529), third in points (1,058) and sixth in field goals made (311). Munoz is currently four steals away from passing the school record of 274 steals and is 18 assists away from the school record of 536 assists.