Hunter's Aponte Claims Player of the Year
USMMA's Dempsey Get Women's Div. III Coach Nod
NEW YORK (April 25, 2019) –
Jade Aponte of Hunter has been named the All-Met Division III women’s basketball Player of the Year by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
Matt Dempsey of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy was selected Coach of the Year.
The rest of the All Met First Team, in addition to Aponte: Kayla Cleare, Mount St. Mary; Marajiah Bacon, New Jersey City; Janean Cuffee, NYU; Faith Ashby, Rutgers-Newark; Sophie Nick, Vassar.
The Second Team: Anna Toke, Stevens; Chanel Jemmott, Brooklyn; Shannon McCoy, Kean; Lauren Hunter, USMMA; Kelly O’Donnell, St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn; Monique Joseph, Old Westbury..
The Third Team: Alex McKinnon, Montclair State; Julia Ramos, Drew; Kaleigh D’Arcy, USMMA; Melinda Spahiu, Baruch; Janine Conway, Hunter; Christina Kiser, Bard; Debra Chan, CCNY.
The All-Met First and Second Team players and the coach of the year will be honored Tuesday, April 30, at the 86th NIT/MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner at the Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, NY.
A 5-5 senior guard from Baldwin, NY, Aponte --- who also was named the CUNYAC player of the year and a WBCA All-America honorable mention --- led her conference in scoring with 19.6 points per game (No. 21 nationally), while leading the Hawks in steals with 100 (No. 7 in the nation) and steals per game with 3.57 (13th in the nation).
An All-Met Second Team selection last season, Aponte scored more than 20 points in 15 contests this year and registered a career-high 36 points in an NCAA Tournament game against No. 1-seeded Bowdoin. She finished her career at Hunter ranked third all-time in points (1,556) and steals (255), second in free throws made (358) and set a program-record single-season scoring mark with 549 points.
In his 11th season at King’s Point, Dempsey --- who also was honored as Skyline Conference coach of the year --- guided the Mariners to a program-best 22 wins (22-4, 16-2 Skyline). Seeded No. 2 in the conference tournament, USMMA upset top-seeded Mount St. Mary in the league’s championship game to snare the program’s first conference title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. A Castleton State grad whose overall men’s and women’s basketball coaching record exceeds 300 victories, Dempsey is a Belmar, NJ, native currently residing in Flushing, NY.
SUMMARY
NEW YORK (April 25, 2019) – The 2018-19 All-Met Division III women’s college basketball teams announced Thursday by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
First Team
Jade Aponte, Hunter 5-5, Sr., G Baldwin, NY
Kayla Cleare, Mount St Mary 6-0, Sr., F W. Hempstead, NY
Marajiah Bacon, New Jersey City 5-3, Sr., G Neptune, NJ
Janean Cuffee, NYU 5-5, So., G New York, NY
Faith Ashby, Rutgers-Newark 5-6, Sr., G Teaneck, NJ
Sophie Nick, Vassar 6-1, Jr., F Denver, CO
Second Team
Anna Toke, Stevens 6-0, Gr., C Lincoln Park, NJ
Chanel Jemmott, Brooklyn 5-9, So., F Brooklyn, NY
Shannon McCoy, Kean 5-9, Fr., G Barnegat, NJ
Lauren Hunter, USMMA 5-11, Fr., F/C Tinley Park, IL
Kelly O'Donnell, St. Joseph's-Bklyn 5-10, So., G/F Brooklyn, NY
Monique Joseph, Old Westbury 5-8, Sr., F Elmont, NY
Third Team
Alex McKinnon, Montclair St. 6-1, Jr., F Fairfield, CT
Julia Ramos, Drew 5-4, So, G Hazlet, NJ
Kaleigh D’Arcy, USMMA 6-0, Jr., G White Plains, NY
Melinda Spahiu, Baruch 5-6, So., G/F Staten Island, NY
Janine Conway, Hunter 5-9, Jr., G Amityville, NY
Christina Kiser, Bard 5-9, Fr., G No. Providence, RI
Debra Chan, CCNY 5-2, Sr., G Flushing, NY
Player of the Year: Jade Aponte, Hunter
Coach of the Year: Matt Dempsey, U.S. Merchant Marine
For a list of previous Women's Division II Awards: Players of the Year - Coaches of the Year