Frohlich named AP All-American

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, March 13, 2002 | 10:28 a.m.

When she came over from Germany to play college basketball at UNLV four years ago, Linda Frohlich was unfamiliar with the term "All-American."

"I really didn't even know what college basketball was or what All-American is," Frohlich said. "But now I realize it's something special."

Very special.

The 6-2 senior forward became just the fifth Lady Rebel in the school's 28-year history of women's basketball to garner All-American honors on Tuesday when she was picked to the Associated Press' third team All-American squad.

Frohlich joins Pauline Jordan (1989 and 1990), Misty Thomas (1985), Teresa Willis (1979) and Belinda Candler (1978) as Lady Rebels who garnered All-American recognition and is the first in school history to be named on the Associated Press squad. She had twice previously earned honorable mention All-American recognition.

"I'm honored to be picked," Frohlich said. "It's fabulous to get. It could help me in the future. But right now the NCAA Tournament is the light of my life and I'm putting all my focus toward that. I'll enjoy all the other things when the season is over."

The Lady Rebels leave Thursday morning for Chapel Hill, N.C., and a first round NCAA Tourney date with Minnesota.

"I feel real blessed to get this honor," Frohlich added. "There was a lot of work that went into it, not just by me but by my coaches, my teammates and the marketing department here. I couldn't have accomplished this without them."

Frohlich averaged 20.9 points and 10.5 rebounds this season while earning her third consecutive Mountain West Player of the Year award. She also is the school's career leader in both scoring (2,346 points) and rebounding (1,117).