NATCHITOCHES – Victoria Miller played a pivotal role down the stretch as the Northwestern State women's basketball team made a late surge in the Southland Conference standings.
 
Her work on the court mirrored the same production she has had in her three years as a student at NSU.
 
The confluence of both landed Miller a spot on the Academic All-Southland Conference second team as the league announced its 10-player squad Thursday afternoon.
 
The first team consisted of Nicholls' Cassidy Barrios, Houston Baptist's Amanda Johnson, Lamar's Chastadie Barrs and Moe Kinard and Imani Johnson of Stephen F. Austin. Joining Miller on the second team are Kamry Orr (Central Arkansas), Shania Woods (New Orleans) and Abilene Christian teammates Breanna Wright and Dominique Golightly.
 
Nominees must own cumulative grade point averages of at least 3.0. Academic All-District/All-American selections and first-team all-conference athletes who meet all-academic nomination criteria are automatically named first-team All-Academic. Voting was done by head coaches, academic advisors and sports information directors at the league's 13 member institutions.
 
After moving into the starting lineup for good on Feb. 2, Miller averaged 7.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as Northwestern State won two of its final three games to force a tie for eighth place in the conference.
 
Miller, a 6-foot forward from Hebron (Texas) High School, becomes the first Lady Demon to earn academic all-conference honors since Beatrice Attura was a first-team selection en route to earning Academic All=America honors in 2017.
 
Miller completed her undergraduate degree in two-and-a-half years as a full-time student, graduating with the highest grade point average in the College of Business Administration. Miller led the college's contingent into the December commencement ceremonies.
 
Miller, who now is pursuing her graduate degree in health and human performance, finished her junior season averaging 5.0 points and a team-best 4.7 rebounds per game. In conference play, Miller was the No. 16 rebounder (5.8 per game).
 
2018-19 Southland Women's Basketball All-Academic First Team

Name	School	Class	GPA	Major
Cassidy Barrios*3	Nicholls	Sr.	3.65	Business Management
Amanda Johnson%	Houston Baptist	Sr.	4.00	Biology
Chastadie Barrs*2	Lamar	Gr.	3.53	Communications
Moe Kinard*2	Lamar	Sr.	3.59	Criminal Justice
Imani Johnson*	Stephen F. Austin	Sr.	3.36	Management

 
2018-19 Southland Women's Basketball All-Academic Second Team

Name	School	Class	GPA	Major
Kamry Orr	Central Arkansas	Sr.	3.53	General Science
Shania Woods	New Orleans	Sr.	3.50	Master's-Business Administration
Breanna Wright2	Abilene Christian	Jr.	3.53	English – Teaching
Dominique Golightly	Abilene Christian	Jr.	3.35	Elementary Education
Victoria Miller	Northwestern State	Gr.	3.94	Sport Management

 
Automatic Selections:
* - First Team All-Conference
^% - CoSIDA Academic All-American
 
² - Two-time All-Academic Selection
³ - Three-time All-Academic Selection