CHARLOTTE, NC – Chipola sophomore Tahnyjia Purifoy received a 2023-2024 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball All-American Honorable Mention on Tuesday, April 9.
NJCAA Release: 2023-24 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball All-America Teams
In the 2023-2024 season, Purifoy averaged 19.7 points per game which was good enough for tenth in the nation. She led Chipola to a 24-8 record and semifinal appearance in the FCSAA/Region VIII Tournament. "Lil' Ma" shot 41.6 percent from the floor, including 34.2 percent from three-point range, and handed out 6.6 assists per game. She scored double digits in 29 of 32 games this season including her last 25 games.
"Lil' Ma is one of the best natural born leaders that I've ever coached,' said Chipola Women's Basketball Coach John Marcum. "She has the ability to make everyone around her better with her consistent voice and presence, her attention to detail, and her competitive energy day in and day out."
Marcum added, "She never took any days off all year."
In fact, she rarely took a minute off. Purifoy led the country in minutes played this season with 1,197. Chipola played in 32 games this season, with two going into overtime, for a total of 1,290 minutes.
Along with her All-American recognition, Purifoy was named to the First Team for the Panhandle Conference, NJCAA Region VIII/FCSAA (regular season), and the NJCAA Region VIII/FCSAA Tournament.
"She was a pleasure to be around every day and I couldn't be prouder to have coached her," said Marcum.
Awards/Recognitions for Chipola Indians Men's Basketball
First Team Panhandle All-Conference
FCSAA All-State Team
FCSAA/Region VIII All-Tournament Team
FCSAA/Region VIII All-Tournament Team
FCSAA/Region VIII All-Tournament Team
Zaaliyah Kailahi-Fulu
Second Team Panhandle All-Conference
Second Team Panhandle All-Conference