2013 WOMEN'S Div. I:
St. John's McKenith, Handford; Fordham's Gaitley Get Honors
Women's Division I awards for the 80th Annual Haggerty Awards Dinner
FFI: Chuck Stogel, 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com
NEW YORK (April 12, 2013) –
Nadirah McKenith of St. John’s was named the All Met Division I women’s college basketball Player of the Year on Friday by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
Aliyyah Handford of St. John’s was selected as Rookie of the Year.
Stephanie Gaitley of Fordham was named the Maggie Dixon Division I women's Coach of the Year.
The rest of the All Met First Team: Shenneika Smith, St. John’s; Shante Evans, Hofstra; Damika Martinez, Iona; Erin Rooney, Fordham; Elizabeth Beynnon, Marist. The Second Team: Marah Strickland, Fordham; Rayven Johnson, NJIT; Kelsey Minato, Army; Erica Wheeler, Rutgers; Brittany Morris, Seton Hall; MyNeshia McKenzie, Rider.
The All Met teams were honored April 15 at the 80th NIT/MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner at the Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, NY.
A 5-foot-7 senior guard from Newark, NJ, McKenith averaged 13.2 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists (No. 30 nationally), had 165 assists and a career high 30 blocks. She led the Big East with 6.1 assists in conference play. McKenith finished as the Red Storm’s career assists leader (605, seventh best among current players in any division).
Handford averaged 9.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and led the Big East’s freshmen in league games with 187 points and 11.7 ppg. She was named conference freshman of the week three times.
Gaitley led the Rams (26-9) to their second most victories in a season; their first winning record in 19 seasons; first 20-win season in 19 years; first 10-win non-conference mark since 1983-84; and Fordham’s first winning record (12-2) in the Atlantic 10. She guided a team that had just eight conference wins in the previous five seasons, registering a 31-116 overall record over that span, to becoming an A-10 contender in her second year at the helm. The Rams lost the A-10 tourney final to St. Joseph’s by one point, then advanced to the WNIT Sweet Sixteen before closing out the year.
Player of the Year: Nadirah McKenith, St. John’s
Rookie of the Year: Aliyyah Handford, St. John’s
Coach of the Year: Stephanie Gaitley, Fordham
FIRST TEAM
|
|
School |
Ht., Year, Pos. |
Hometown |
|
Nadirah McKenith |
St. John’s |
5-7, Sr, G |
Newark, NJ |
|
Elizabeth Beynnon |
Marist |
6-2, Sr, F |
Burlington, VT |
|
Shante Evans |
Hofstra |
6-0, Sr, F |
West Chester, PA |
|
Damika Martinez |
Iona |
5-7, So, G |
Meriden, CT |
|
Erin Rooney |
Fordham |
5-8, R-Jr, G |
Christchurch, NZ |
|
Shenneika Smith |
St. John’s |
6-1, Sr, G |
Brooklyn, NY |
SECOND TEAM
|
|
School |
Ht., Year, Pos. |
Hometown |
|
Rayven Johnson |
NJIT |
5-8, Sr, G |
Rahway, NJ |
|
MyNeshia McKenzie |
Rider |
5-11, Jr, F/G |
Springfield, PA |
|
Brittany Morris |
Seton Hall |
5-6, Sr, G |
Raleigh, NC |
|
Marah Strickland |
Fordham |
6-0, Gr, F/G |
Mt. Airy, MD |
|
Erica Wheeler |
Rutgers |
5-7, Sr, G |
Miami, FL |
-- MBWA --