Uganda Gazelles player Mellisa Akullu and her teammate Halle Si’i were last week named All-Americans by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

This came on the heels of an outstanding 2022-23 season, for the two Vanguard University women's basketball players. This was the third recognition for Akullu in a space of one week following her recognition by the Women Basketball Coaches Association1981 (WBCA) and the College Sports Communicators Awards for her outstanding performance in the same season.

Center Akullu, a former Angels Basketball player in the FUBA National Basketball League, received First Team distinction while point guard Si’i (FR/Long Beach, CA) claimed a spot on the Honorable Mention team.

"Super happy for Melissa and Halle," said head coach Russ Davis "Mel had a terrific year, and this was even after she had to take six months off for recovery. She has earned her honours with hard work and unselfish teammates who supported her. Halle has had a huge impact on our team and had a terrific freshman campaign. She was the only freshman in the country to receive All-American status."

Akullu added another prestigious honour to her mantle as she already has racked up All-American honours from the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), as well as becoming a College Sports Communicators (CSC) First Team Academic All-American.

Akullu, the 2022-23 Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, averaged a double-double with 17.6 points and 11.1 rebounds in 28 games. She ranked fourth in the GSAC in scoring and led the conference in rebounding and field goal percentage (.590).

Nationally, she ranks 10th in field goal percentage and 17th in rebounds per game.

She recorded 16 double-doubles, including a career-best 40-point, 14-rebound performance against Bethesda. Akullu corralled double-digit rebounds in 18 games and surpassed the 20-point plateau 11 times. She had one streak in which she scored 20 or more in seven straight contests. Akullu had a career-best 21 rebounds against Jessup on Dec. 1.

Akullu won NAIA National Player of the Week once and GSAC Player of the Week on four different occasions – second-most all-time in one season at VU. Akullu anchored the middle for one of the nation's stingiest defences as she led the team with 61 steals and 27 blocked shots.

Akullu and Si'i helped the Lions to a 22-7 overall record and an at-large berth to the NAIA National Tournament. The Lions reached the second round of the tournament before falling to Texas Wesleyan.