FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rider's Johnson, Milligan Earn Highest Honors in WBB Div. I
Abbey Hsu of Columbia Named Top Rookie
NEW YORK (April 20, 2020) - Stella Johnson of Rider University has been named the All-Met Division I women's college basketball Player of the Year for 2019-20 by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
Lynn Milligan of Rider was selected the MBWA Maggie Dixon Coach of the Year for a second time.
Abbey Hsu of Columbia earned the nod as Rookie of the Year.
The rest of the All Met First Team, in addition to Johnson: Bre Cavanaugh, Fordham; Arella Guirantes, Rutgers; Rebekah Hand, Marist; Qadashah Hoppie, St. John's; Shadeen Samuels, Seton Hall.
The Second Team: Alana Gilmer and Grace Vander Weide, Marist; Tekia Mack, Rutgers; India Pagan, Stony Brook; Courtney Warley, Manhattan.
The Third Team: Leilani Correa, St. John's; Nevena Dimitrijevic, St. Francis-Brooklyn; Desiree Elmore, Seton Hall; Emilija Krista Grava, Wagner; Abbey Hsu, Columbia; Emily LaPointe, Manhattan.
A 5-10 senior guard from Denville, NJ, Johnson --- a recent third-round WNBA draft choice by the Phoenix Mercury, who also was named a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference repeat player of the year and an All-America honorable mention by the WBCA, Associated Press and U.S. Basketball Writers Assn. - led the nation in both total points (745) and points per game (24.8) while contributing 7.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a MAAC-leading 2.8 steals.
She ranked fifth in the NCAA in made free throws (172), shooting 80.4% from the line and 47.0% from the floor for the Broncs (26-4), An All-Met Second Team selection in 2018 and All-Met First Team last year, Johnson graduates as the only active Division I player in her career to exceed 2,000 points (2,167), 700 rebounds (750), 400 assists (428) and 300 steals (336). The career points leader at Rider, she stands 18th on the all-time/all-divisions Met basketball scoring list.
A 5-11 freshman guard-forward from Parkland, FL, Hsu --- who also was named to the All-Ivy League second team --- led the Lions (17-10) with 14.3 points per game and her 385 total points were the second-most by a Columbia first-year player. She topped the Ivy League in 3-point field goal percentage (41.1%), which was fourth-best among all NCAA freshmen. From the floor, she was sixth in the league, shooting 45.7%, and added 5.1 rebounds per game.
In her 13th season at the helm, Milligan --- who additionally was named MAAC Coach of the Year and also was selected as the All-Met Coach of the Year in 2017 --- guided the Broncs to a 26-4 record in 2019-20 and to the program's first MAAC regular season title with the school's most conference wins (18-2) ever. The 26 victories represent the most wins for Rider since the program ascended to Division I for the 1982-83 season. This past season the Broncs ranked eighth in the nation in team 3-point field goal percentage (.265) and 10th in field goal percentage defense (34.2%).
A native and current resident of Voorhees, NJ, Milligan played softball and basketball for Rider, graduating in 1992 with a Bachelor's degree in communications and earning a Master's in counseling in 1994. Her career head coaching record, all with the Broncs, is 170-229.
See video
The
Met Writers' Maggie Dixon Coach of the Year award is named in memory of the hugely popular Army West Point coach who passed away in 2006 at age 28.
SUMMARY
NEW YORK (April 20, 2020) - The 2019-20 All-Met Division I women's college basketball teams
announced Monday by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
First Team
Stella Johnson, Rider 5-10, Sr., G, Denville, NJ
Bre Cavanaugh, Fordham 5-8, Jr., G, Allamuchy, NJ
Arella Guirantes, Rutgers 5-11, Jr., G, Bellport, NY
Rebekah Hand, Marist 5-10, Sr., G, Argyle, TX
Qadashah Hoppie, St. John's 5-7, Jr., G, Staten Island, NY
Shadeen Samuels, Seton Hall 6-0, Sr., F, Ossining, NY
Second Team
Alana Gilmer, Marist 6-0, Sr., F, No. Easton, MA
Tekia Mack, Rutgers 6-1, Jr., G-F, Chicago, IL
India Pagan, Stony Brook 6-1, Jr., F, New London, CT
Grace Vander Weide, Marist 5-11, Sr., G, W/ Des Moines, IA
Courtney Warley, Manhattan 6-3, Jr., C, West Chester, PA
Third Team
Leilani Correa, St. John's 6-0, Fr., G, Manchester, NJ
Nevena Dimitrijevic, St. Francis Brooklyn 5-3, Fr., G, Kragujevic, Serbia
Desiree Elmore, Seton Hall 5-10, Jr., G-F, Hartford, CT
Emilija Krista Grava, Wagner 6-0, So., F, Ligatne, Latvia
Abbey Hsu, Columbia 5-11, Fr., G-F, Parkland, FL
Emily LaPointe, Manhattan 5-10, Fr., G, Staten Island, NY
Player of the Year: Stella Johnson, Rider University
2019-20 Highlight Video Johnson's Acceptance Speech
Coach of the Year: Lynn Milligan, Rider University
Milligan's Acceptance Speech (see below)
Rookie of the Year: Abbey Hsu, Columbia University
Hsu's Reaction Video to her award
For a list of previous Women's Division I Awards:
Players of the Year Coaches of the Year Rookie of the Year
--- www.metbasketballwriters.org ---