Jonathan Lintner

@JonathanLintner

Louisville sophomore forward Myisha Hines-Allen joined a short list Wednesday, becoming only the second conference player of the year in program history.

Hines-Allen was awarded ACC Player of the Year honors while averaging 17 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Cardinals, who are ranked No. 6 in this week's coaches poll on a run of 22 wins in their past 23 games.

She joins Angel McCoughtry as the program’s only previous conference player of the year.

Hines-Allen ranks third in the ACC in rebounding, fourth in scoring and sixth in field goal percentage. The New Jersey native's game this season has extended beyond the paint, with the star now a mid-range threat too. Hines-Allen, at 6-foot-2, also hits 77.1 percent of her free throw attempts.

McCoughtry, the eventual No. 1 draft pick and multiple-time WNBA All-Star, earned Big East Player of the Year in 2007. An ACC panel of sports information directors and media members voted on Hines-Allen's award.

Hines-Allen also made the ACC's All-Freshman team in 2015 before being named First-Team All-Conference in 2016. She's a three-time ACC Player of the Week this season as well, having notched nine double-doubles.

ACC Player of the Year was announced in conjunction with the start of the league's tournament in Greensboro, N.C.

Additionally, the Blue Ribbon Panel selected North Carolina’s Stephanie Watts as ACC Freshman of the Year, while Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw earned ACC Coach of the Year.

Coaches made Notre Dame sophomore Brianna Turner their Defensive Player of the Year and Florida State's Shakayla Thomas the Sixth Player of the Year.

Hines-Allen, Moore build All-American resumes