The women's season has just about hit its mid-way point, so time to take a look at one observer's opinions for mid-season all-stars.
FIRST TEAM
- LILI GRENCI, 6-foot-1 senior forward, Siena.
Arguably the top post player in the conference. She is the league's top scorer in conference-only games and her 15.4 ppg. overall average is second in the league and her 9.2 rebounds per game average us third-best in the league. It makes her the only player to rank in the top three in those two major statistical categories.
= LAUREN GATTO, 6-2 junior forward, Niagara.
Her 14.9 ppg. average is fourth best in the conference and her 6.3 rebounds per outing is 10th. She is the primary scoring threat for one of the conference's better teams, and rarely takes a bad shot. Her 50.5% shooting accuracy is second-best in the MAAC.
- MyNESHIA McKENZIE, 5-11 junior forward, Rider.
She is the league's leading rebounder with 9.8 per contest and is athletic enough to defend any player on the court. Her 14.3 point-per-game average is fifth-best among conference players. She is the top player on a Broncs' team that is on its way to its best season in many years.
- KATIE SHEAHIN, 5-11 senior guard, Loyola.
She was the coaches' choice, in their preseason poll, to be the MAAC's Player of the Year, but didn't play that way for much of the early season particularly when she tried to play through flu-like symptoms that eventually forced her to sit out four games. Still, she is the MAAC's only player to lead her team in points, rebounds, assists and steals and is healthy again (24 and 21 points in back-to-back wins).
- KATIE CIZYNSKI, 6-2 junior forward, Fairfield.
Has successfully moved from being a role player last season to the Stags' primary focus this year. Her 12.5 ppg. average ninth-best in the conference, while her 8.1 rebounds per game ranks her fifth. She is also a solid post defender.
SECOND TEAM
- Brittany Obi-Tabot, 6-1 junior forward, Fairfield
- Ashley Durham, 5-5 senior guard, Canisius
- Damika Martinez, 5-7 sophomore guard, Iona
- Elizabeth Beynnon, 6-2 senior forward, Marist.
- Joy Adams, 5-11 freshman forward, Iona
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Grenci, Siena.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Adams, Iona.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tehresa Coles of Siena, whose 3.2 steals-per-game average is 20th-best nationally.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Brian Giorgis, Marist. His team lost its only two post players for the season after its first two games, requiring him to entirely change his team's style of play at both ends while the season was on-going. And, the Red Foxes are still unbeaten in league play.
6 comments:
Great job Steve. My only quibble is with Coles. A fine player, but the hands down best defender in the league is Marist's Leanne Ockenden. Absolute shut down defender who always draws the opponents toughest guard. Her tenacious play is a major factor why opposing MAAC guard rarely have difference making performances against Marist. Preseason POY Katie Sheahin didn't score in Loyola's game at Marist earlier this season.
Don't disagree. Defensive player was toughest choice. Ockenden, Sheahin were other possibilities. But Coles is 20th nationally in steals, which put her over the top for me.
Why not Joy Adams from Iona ahead of Cizynski??
13.1 points per game; 1 spot ahead of her
9.5 rebounds per game; 2nd overall in conference
50.2% FG; 1st in the conference
Seems like if youre gonna go with a post player in that spot ahead of Martinez, the leading scorer in the league, it should be Adams
Could easily have made that choice ... certainly considered it. And, remember, it's just one person's opinion, and certainly subject to change as the season progresses. Many of the choices, though, are not only predicated on personal observation but on the opinion of several conference coaches/ass't coaches I've spoken to in recent days.
Just watched Ockenden shut down the leagues leading scorer and they poised a great question if you had to pick one MAAC player to shut down the opponents top player who would you pick?
Coles does same thing nightly. League has 3 top-rated defenders ... Coles, Sheahin and Ockenden. I have seen each play at least 12 to 15 times and still am not sure. Remember my choice was helped by opinion of at least 6 or 7 coaches from other trams, individuals who watch hours of film.
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