Columbia's Zimmerman Named Top Player; Rider's Milligan Best Coach in WBB Div. I
2017 MBWA Women's Division I Honors
FFI: Chuck Stogel, MBWA - 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com
Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association
www.MetBasketballWriters.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Zimmerman, Milligan Head All-Met Div. I Women’s Roster
NEW YORK (April 25, 2017) –
Camille Zimmerman of Columbia has been named the All-Met Division I women’s college basketball Player of the Year by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
Lynn Milligan of Rider was selected Coach of the Year.
Rebekah Hand of Marist was named Rookie of the Year.
The rest of the All-Met First Team: Aaliyah Lewis and Jade Walker, St. John’s; Robin Perkins, Rider; G’mrice Davis, Fordham; Madison Hovren, Army.
The Second Team: Kelsey Carey, Fairfield; Ashunae Durant, Hofstra; JaQuan Jackson, Seton Hall; Julia Duggan, Rider; Shrita Parker, Rutgers.
The Third Team: Alexis Lewis and Marina Lizarazu, Iona; Hannah Kimmel, Sacred Heart; Kori Bayne-Walker, Stony Brook; Kayla Grimme, Manhattan.
The All-Met First and Second Team players, coach and rookie of the year was honored Wednesday, April 26, at the 84th NIT/MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner at the Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, NY.
A 6-1 junior guard/forward from Tempe, AZ, Zimmerman --- who led the Ivy League in scoring and rebounding --- paced the Lions (13-14) with 22.5 ppg (10th nationally) and 9.6 rpg (37th in NCAA). She also had 67 assists (2.5 apg), 41 steals (1.5 spg) and posted 13 double-doubles to lead the Ivy League and place 34th in the nation. Zimmerman set single-season Columbia records for total points (608) and scoring average, and is now second on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,408 points, 39 shy of the program’s best.
A former Rider player in her 10th season as head coach, Milligan --- who also was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference coach of the year --- guided the Broncs (24-9) to their first-ever MAAC tournament championship game appearance and a berth in the post-season WNIT. Rider posted its best record since 1991-92 and won a program-best 16 MAAC games during the regular season, sweeping eight conference opponents along the way.
A 5-11 freshman guard from Argyle, TX, Hand --- who also was named the Metro Atlantic and ECAC rookie of the year --- led the Red Foxes (15-17) with 438 points, 13.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 97 assists (3.1 apg). She led MAAC freshmen in scoring, rebounding and free throw percentage (80.4%).
SUMMARY
First Team
Aaliyah Lewis, St. John’s, 5-5, sr, G, Staten Island, NY
Camille Zimmerman, Columbia, 6-1, jr, G/F, Tempe, AZ
Robin Perkins, Rider, 5-10, gr, G, Willingboro, NJ
G’mrice Davis, Fordham, 6-2, jr, F, Philadelphia, PA
Madison Hovren, Army, 5-11, so, F, Spokane, WA
Jade Walker, St. John’s, 6-1, sr, F, Maplewood, NJ
Second Team
Kelsey Carey, Fairfield, 6-0, sr, F, Staten Island, NY
Ashunae Durant, Hofstra, 5-10, jr, F, Newark, NJ
JaQuan Jackson, Seton Hall, 5-8, jr, G, Killeen, TX
Julia Duggan, Rider, 6-1, sr, C, Marmora, NJ
Shrita Parker, Rutgers, 5-7, jr, G, Virginia Beach, VA
Third Team
Alexis Lewis, Iona, 5-10, so, G, Pittston, PA
Hannah Kimmel, Sacred Heart, 6-0, sr, G/F, Harpursville, NY
Kori Bayne-Walker, Stony Brook, 5-5, sr, G, Rochester, NY
Marina Lizarazu, Iona, 5-8, sr, G, Madrid, Spain
Kayla Grimme, Manhattan, 6-2, jr, C, Altoona, PA
Player of the Year: Camille Zimmerman, Columbia
Maggie Dixon Coach of the Year: Lynn Milligan, Rider
Rookie of the Year: Rebekah Hand, Marist (5-11, fr, G, Argyle, TX)
View previous MBWA Women's Division I Awards here