Chelsea Dungee's storied University of Arkansas basketball career added another layer Wednesday.
The 5-11 guard from Sapulpa, Okla., was named to the Associated Press All-America third team. Dungee is the first Razorback honored by The AP since Shameka Christon in 2004 -- also a third-team selection.
Christy Smith, who led the Razorbacks to the Final Four in 1998, was a four-time honorable mention AP pick. Delmonica DeHorney was named Kodak All-America in 1991, while Christon (1991) and Shelly Wallace (1989) were honorable mentions.
Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said Dungee is in special company.
"That's rarefied air," Neighbors said. "I think it's a term that gets thrown around too much in our game. I hear it on broadcasts and think 'What All-American team was she on?' For it to be AP, that's one's been around a while. This one's got some juice.
"I think it's awesome that the writers have recognized that and recognized her. I know a lot of times it is a reflection of a single season but I do think in her case it's a career, a rise from where she started to where she finished. It's a capping to a great season and an unbelievable career."
Dungee scored 2,120 career points, the highest total of any Razorback women's basketball player ever. It won't be recognized as a program record though since she played her freshman season at the University of Oklahoma before transferring to Arkansas.
The No. 15 Razorbacks earned their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2015 earlier this week. Arkansas grabbed a No. 4 seed in the Alamo Region and will take on No. 13 seed Wright State at 1 p.m. on Monday in the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. The women's tournament is being played in and around the San Antonio area this season because of covid-19 precautions.
Dungee has been a key part of a four-year rise back to prominence for the Razorbacks, both on and off the court. When she transferred, Arkansas was picked to finish last in the SEC by the coaches.
"For her to carry the load like we've asked her to do, it's a really, really hard thing to do," Neighbors said. "I bet she's one of very few people who have done it at a place that probably hasn't had one further back than that. It's deserved. She's earned it and I think she'll be proud of it.
"We used to have to kinda convince her to stay out and sign autographs after the fact. Now, not only do you not have to convince her, you have to pull her away from it and say 'It's time to go.' ... I think she's done what she needed to do for our team to be successful. ... and along the way quietly has become a great teammate and and somebody that a lot of kids in our community, rightfully so, look up to. I think that's what's going to be more legacy-leaving than some of these stats."
The three-time All-Southeastern Conference player put together her best season as a Razorback this year, leading the league in scoring at 22.2 points per game. Her field goal percentage of 42.7% and three-point percentage (38.2%) are also career bests. She's been at her best against some of the best competition.
Dungee scored 37 in the Razorbacks' win over No. 1 Connecticut, one of four game of 30 or more points this season, and scored in double figures in 31 consecutive games. She also scored 20 or more points in 12 of 15 SEC games this season.
Dungee has also shown a knack for drawing fouls throughout her career, but that's been particularly big this season. She is tied for first the country with 163 made free throws and third in free throws attempted (206).