Women’s basketball players Tiffany Tullis, a sophomore forward from San Antonio, Texas, and sophomore guard Hannah Humphrey, of Kendleton, Texas, were both honored, as was Elijah Elliott, a Houston native and sophomore guard for the Blinn men’s team.
Tullis was named a first-team All-American following a season in which she averaged team highs in points (14.4) and rebounds (12.6) per game. She totaled 28 double-doubles and registered 20 or more rebounds in two games, including 20 during the Buccaneers’ second-round victory in the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship tournament.
“I was shocked; I had to go see it for myself to make sure it was really true,” Tullis said after receiving the news via a text message from Blinn assistant coach Antreanna Brooks. “It took a lot to get to this point. This means a lot. To be able to reach this goal is amazing. Part of me believed this wasn’t possible, and part of me believed it was, and I think the side of me that believed it was possible was just a little bit stronger.”
Tullis has committed to Division I Texas State University after concluding a two-year Blinn run that saw her earn Region XIV Newcomer of the Year honors as a freshman and the region’s Player of the Year award this season. She also was a two-time first-team all-region and all-conference pick and made the Region XIV all-tournament team this season. Tullis is Blinn’s single-season and career rebounding leader, with 441 this year and 767 across her two seasons.
Humphrey made the All-America list as a second-team selection. The sharp-shooting guard was second behind Tullis with 12.3 points per game and knocked down a team-best 84 3-pointers. She had four games with five made 3s and two others in which she converted six. Humphrey also landed on the all-region and all-conference first team.
(Pictured: Blinn College sophomore guard Hannah Humphrey, 22)
“Knowing that there are people out there who recognize hard work on the court, it means a lot,” Humphrey said. “You always have a thought in the back of your mind that this could be a possibility, but for this to happen is pretty rewarding.”
The Buccaneers won 31 games and spent most of the season among the top five in the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball top-25 poll, climbing as high as No. 2. They won their second consecutive Region XIV regular-season co-championship and qualified for the national tournament with a first-round bye for a second year in a row.
Elliott concluded his lone season as a Buccaneer by establishing himself as one of the top guards in junior college basketball. The Division I transfer paced the Bucs with 16.7 points per game to go with 3.6 assists and 2.2 steals. He posted eight games with 20-plus points, including a season-high 27 in his team’s regular-season finale.
(Pictured: Blinn College sophomore guard Elijah Elliott)
“This means a lot to me,” Elliott said. “I’ve put in a lot of work for my coaches and my team this year. I’m blessed that I could be rewarded with this accolade. It’s validation. People say hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, and I guess that’s true.”
Blinn finished the season 23-8 overall and placed second in the Region XIV South Zone with a 16-3 record.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
