If the Gateway Athletic Conference North handed out Most Improved Player awards, it would have been hard to find a more deserving honoree this season than Warrenton’s Kayla Nelson.

The junior forward nearly doubled her scoring this year, jumping from 6.7 points as a sophomore to 11.8 this season.

Her shooting percentage rose from 50 percent to 54.6 percent, as well, despite putting up over 100 more shots.

That, along with grabbing a team-high 7.4 rebounds, earned Nelson a spot on the GAC North first team.

“She’s probably the most improved player I’ve coached in my career,” Warrenton Head Coach Greg Williams said. “Her dad would get her up here at 6:45 in the mornings and get extra work in. Her whole family has made that sacrifice and commitment, and she’s been in the weight room and has changed her body, too. Anybody can do the things she has done, but not everybody is willing to make the sacrifices her family has made. They’ve made that commitment and that’s why she is what she is.”

Nelson averaged 13.8 points against conference foes this season, including a 19-point performance at St. Charles to start the conference slate.

“With what she did in conference, she was a real problem for those teams. She had that big game against St. Charles, which helped, so I wasn’t surprised at all that she was able to accomplish that,” Williams said. “She has really worked hard for it and she has really, really improved. I fully expect her to be back on that team next year.”

Nelson hopes to continue her basketball career in college.

She has garnered the attention of smaller programs in the area, and a bigger school, too.

“SLU has shown a little interest, so we’ll see where she thinks she can fit in,” Williams said. “The best scholarship will present itself and I’m sure she’ll go in that direction.”

Cox lands on second team

Junior guard Rylie Cox was a GAC North second-team selection for the second straight season after averaging seven points and a team-high 3.2 steals.

“The thing is, a lot of coaches don’t appreciate what she brings to the table,” Williams said. “A lot of times people get caught up in points and those things. I always appreciate the defensive types of players, and the aggravation that she causes is something I really value. But I guess others don’t.”

Cox shot 40 percent from the floor and led Warrenton guards with 3.1 rebounds.

“She rebounds really well for a point guard,” Williams added. “She competes, she’s a pest for the other team, and I really reward that as a coach. It just doesn’t show up in a vote. Hopefully next year we can get her over the top and get on the first team.” 

Williams named Coach of the Year

For his part in helping Warrenton win its first ever GAC North championship, Williams also was  named the conference coach of the year.

The Warriors are 62-18 since he arrived three seasons ago, and the program has broken the school record for wins each of the last two seasons.

“It just means you have the best players,” he said of getting the award. “When you have the best players, you get that, and when you don’t have the best players, you don’t get that. It’s pretty cut and dry.”