Monique Whittaker Season 2008-09

Honors & Awards

• First-Team Class 4A All-State (Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, 2007)
• Participant in TABC All-Star Game (San Antonio, May 4, 2007)
• First-Team Class 4A All-State (Texas Girls Coaches Association, 2006, 2007)
• TABC Academic All-State Team (2007)
• No. 23 Player in Texas (TexasHoops.com, 2006)

Sophomore (2008-09)

The Personal Side
Full name: Monique Whittaker
Major: Pre-Elementary Education and Early Childhood Development
Family:
Mother: Michelle Harris
Father: Malcolm Whittaker
Brother: Marc, 20
Hometown: Onalaska, Texas
High School: Livingston
Date of Birth: May 16, 1989
Place of Birth: Humble, Texas

One of three Texans on Nebraska's 2008-09 roster, Monique Whittaker provided major contributions early in her sophomore season. Overall, she played in nine games and averaged 4.1 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. She hit 8-of-33 shots from the field, including 5-of-15 three-pointers, while knocking down 16-of-18 free throws.

After scoring seven points in 25 minutes during her entire freshman season, Whittaker came off the bench to erupt for a career-high 13 points in 15 minutes in NU's season-opening win over Weber State on Nov. 14.

Whittaker hit 3-of-6 shots from the field, including the first two three-pointers of her career, while connecting on 5-of-6 free throws against the Wildcats. She added a rebound, an assist and a steal against Weber State.

Three nights later, Whittaker produced her second straight double-figure scoring performance with 10 points and a career-high six rebounds in Nebraska's road win at in-state rival Creighton on Nov. 17. Whittaker scored 10 straight points in the first half to send NU to the locker room with a halftime lead.

She added six points in just six minutes off the bench in NU's win over Southern Utah on Nov. 22. She also saw playing time at Denver to help the Huskers improve to 4-0 to open the season, but did not play in a Husker victory over Butler in Albuquerque, N.M., on Nov. 28. She saw 11 minutes of action in a loss at New Mexico on Nov. 29, scoring two points and grabbing two rebounds.

Whittaker played two minutes but did not score in a win over Oral Roberts on Dec. 2, then competed for 11 minutes in a win over Long Beach State on Dec. 12, scoring two points and pulling down three rebounds. She did not play again until seeing five minutes of action at eventual NCAA Sweet 16 qualifier Texas A&M on Feb. 8 - a stretch of 11 games without taking the court. She scored four points on 4-of-4 free throw shooting against the Aggies.

The game at A&M was her only Big 12 action of the season, but she also played two minutes in the second round of the WNIT against New Mexico in Rio Rancho on March 25. She did not score, while going 0-for-2 from the field.

Freshman (2007-08)
Whittaker appeared in 10 games as a freshman for the Huskers, including Big 12 appearances against Kansas (Jan. 12), No. 21 Texas A&M, at No. 6 Baylor and against Missouri (Feb. 21). She averaged 0.7 points and 0.4 rebounds per game. She posted season highs with four points and three rebounds in NU’s win over Akron at the Oahu Classic on Nov. 25. She notched her first career assist in front of family and friends at Baylor on Jan. 26, delivering a pass to fellow Texan Catheryn Redmon.

High School
Whittaker earned first-team All-Texas honors as a junior and senior on her way to being ranked as one of the top 25 prospects in the state. Following her senior year at Livingston High School near Houston, she participated in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star Game in San Antonio. She was a teammate of fellow Husker Catheryn Redmon in the Class 4A-5A game.

Whittaker averaged 20.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per game for Coach Pennee Hall as a senior in 2006-07. She shot 51.4 percent from two-point range and knocked down 75.3 percent of her free throws. She added 2.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game in her final high school season.

As a junior in 2005-06, Whittaker averaged 20 points and 10 boards per game, after averaging 18 points and eight rebounds per contest as a sophomore.

Whittaker was a nominee for the Wendy's High School Heisman and McDonald's High School All-America honors. She was a Texas Basketball Magazine All-State selection in 2004-05 and a TGCA All-State pick in both 2005-06 and 2006-07. She was the MVP in District 18-4A in both 2005-06 and 2006-07, after being named the district's offensive player of the year as a sophomore in 2004-05. She was a TABC All-Region 3 selection each of her final three years. Off the court, she claimed TABC Academic All-State honors.

Whittaker played on the Houston Hotshots-Gold AAU team coached by Marvin Morris. In 2004-05, the Hotshots won the BCI Nationals and took second at AAU Nationals. In 2005-06, they claimed fifth at AAU Nationals.

In addition to earning four letters in basketball, Whittaker earned three letters in cross country, two in volleyball, one in soccer and one in track and field.

Personal
The daughter of Michelle Harris and Malcolm Whittaker, Monique was born May 16, 1989, in Humble, Texas. She has one brother, Marc, 20. Monique is majoring in pre-elementary and early childhood education.

Whittaker chose Nebraska over Texas State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Whittaker's Career Statistics

Year

G-GS

FG-FGA

Pct.

3P-3PA

Pct.

FT-FTA

Pct.

TRB-Avg.

PF-D

A

TO

Blk

ST

Pts-Avg.

2007-08 10-0 2-4 .500 0-0 .000 3-4 .750 4-0.4 2-0 1 3 0 0 7-0.72008-09 9-0 8-33 .242 5-15 .333 16-18 .889 13-1.4 9-0 1 12 0 2 37-4.1

Career

19-0

10-37

.270

5-15

.333

19-22

.864

17-0.9

11-0

2

15

0

2

44-2.3