The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

IN her senior year, Waltiea Rolle looks to continue her most successful statistical season to date with an NCAA tournament run.

Rolle and the 15th ranked UNC Tar Heels fell in the ACC conference tournament title game, 92-73, to the 6th ranked Duke Blue Devils Sunday afternoon, and will now have to wait for an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament.

Rolle finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks and was named a second-team All-tournament selection.

The NCAA tournament begins March 24 and runs until the Final Four in New Orleans, culminating April 9.

On the year, Rolle averaged 11.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, both career highs. She led the team in blocked shots at 2.4 per game, shot 48 per cent from the floor, and 60 per cent from the line.

Rolle, who was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team, became only the second player in school history to earn the award twice. She is 10th in ACC history in career blocked shots with 243 and owns three of the 11 highest single-season totals ever at UNC. She led the Tar Heels in five games, and in scoring six games and on senior night in UNC’s 85-57 win over Boston College, Rolle made her first three-point attempt of her collegiate career.

Rolle’s record setting senior season comes off a junior year where she missed time due to the birth of her daughter in November 2011.

In her sophomore season, she appeared in all 37 games and started nine, averaging 7.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per contest. She earned her first All-ACC Defensive Team honours after leading the league in blocks.

In her freshman season, she appeared in 30 games and started 15, averaging 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and an ACC-leading 2.4 blocks per outing.

The former C R Walker Knight star, who also attended Albury Sayles Primary School, had a prep career filled with accolades in Texas. She attended Westbury Christian School in Houston, Texas, and was selected WBCA All-America, Second-team Parade Magazine All-America, Second-team ESPNRISE.com All-America.

Prior to her signing at North Carolina, Rolle was highly touted on several ranking systems, including a 28th rank in the nation by ESPN Hoop Gurlz and 21st by the All-Star Girls Report, ninth among centers by ESPN Hoop Gurlz and was a first-team TAPPS all-state performer and District 4-5A Player of the Year as a junior.