NEW YORK (April 17, 2023) – Damaris Rodriguez of New Jersey City University was selected the All-Met Division III women’s college basketball Player of the Year for 2022-23 as announced Monday by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
Meg Barber of New York University was selected Coach of the Year for a second consecutive year and third time overall.
Rodriguez was named to the All-Met First Team for a third straight season and selected Player of the Year for a second time, having been so honored as a freshman in 2021.
The rest of the All-Met First Team: Jess Broad, Stevens; Natalie Bruns, NYU; Gianna Gotti, Brooklyn; Lauren Hunter, USMMA; Joey Meyers, Drew; Shannon McCoy, Kean.
The All-Met Second Team: Destiny Battle, St. Elizabeth; Brianna Barnes, Lehman; Nickie Carter, Montclair State; Katie Healy, John Jay; Belle Pellecchia and Jenny Walker, NYU.
The All-Met Third Team: Justina Cabezas, Wm. Paterson; Mia Castillo, Baruch; Alexa Charles, Hunter; Mac-Dege Dessources, York; Eliza Srinivasan, Vassar; Jackie Ventricelli, Ramapo.
Being named All-Met is unique in that there are 35 colleges and universities and more than 500 players under the MBWA Division III women’s umbrella.
The 2022-23 All-Met teams will be honored at the 90th MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner on Thursday, April 27, at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel & Conference Center in Tarrytown, NY. The Haggerty dinner is the longest running, media-managed college basketball awards program in the United States.
A 5-3 junior guard from Secaucus, NJ, Rodriguez --- who also was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference and ECAC women’s player of the year, and a WBCA Division III All-America Honorable Mention --- led the Gothic Knights (17-12, 14-4 NJAC) to their first regular season conference title in the 53-year history of the program. In the post-season, after placing second in the NJAC playoffs, NJCU won two games in the ECAC Division III Tournament before finishing as runner-up in the championship game.
Named to the All-NJAC First Team for a third consecutive season, Rodriguez led the nation in total points scored (679) and points per game (24.3). While scoring all those points she also led the NJAC in assists (180, second in the nation) and in assists per game (6.4, fourth in NCAA Division III). She swiped 71 steals on the season and averaged 5.1 rebounds, while shooting 40.6% from the floor and 83.3% at the free throw line.
Rodriguez had four double-doubles and her first career triple-double this past season, and surpassed 1,000 points scored in her 49th collegiate game. She now has 1,358 points overall for her career.
In her fifth season at the helm, NYU alum Barber --- who also was named MBWA Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022, and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division III national coach of the year in 2022 --- led the Violets (25-3, 12-2 UAA) to the NCAA Elite Eight stage for the second straight year and seventh time overall after winning their second consecutive University Athletic Association championship. NYU eliminated Greensboro, Messiah and Trine in the NCAAs before losing a national quarterfinal game to host Transylvania.
In posting a third straight 20+ wins season, the Violets nailed 206 3-point goals, third most in a season in program history, while their 812 made field goals overall and 44.5% team shooting percentage from the floor were both fourth-most ever.
A 2002 graduate of New York University with a Masters degree in Sports Business from Temple, Barber’s coaching record over four active team seasons (the Violets did not compete in 2020-21 due to the Covid pandemic) is 88-21, an .807 won-loss percentage. Prior to joining NYU as head coach for the 2018-19 season, she held coaching positions at Temple and at William & Mary. A native of Hoosick Falls, NY, Barber resides in Brooklyn, NY.
For a list of previous Women's Division III Awards:
Players of the Year - Coaches of the Year
SUMMARY
NEW YORK (April 17, 2023) – The 2022-23 All-Met Division III women’s college basketball team announced Monday by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
FIRST TEAM
Jess Broad, Stevens • 5-10, Gr., G/F, Morganville, NJ
Natalie Bruns, NYU • 6-1, Jr., F, St. Louis, MO
Gianna Gotti, Brooklyn • 5-5, Sr., G, Oyster Bay, NY
Lauren Hunter, USMMA • 5-11, Sr., F, Tinley Park, IL
Joey Meyers, Drew • 5-10, Sr., G, Brookside, NJ
Shannon McCoy, Kean • 5-9, Sr., G, Barnegat, NJ
Damaris Rodriguez, NJCU • 5-3, Jr., G, Secaucus, NJ
SECOND TEAM 
Destiny Battle, St. Elizabeth • 5-0, So., G, East Orange, NJ
Brianna Barnes, Lehman • 6-0, So., F, Bronx, NY
Nickie Carter, Montclair State • 5-7, Jr., G, Flemington, NJ
Katie Healy, John Jay • 5-9, Sr., F, Merrick, NY
Belle Pellecchia, NYU • 5-8, So., G, Mendham, NJ
Jenny Walker, NYU • 6-0, Sr., F, Sausalito, CA
THIRD TEAM
Justina Cabezas, William Paterson • 5-9, Sr., F. Carlstadt, NJ
Mia Castillo, Baruch • 5-7, So., G. Pleasant Valley, NY
Alexa Charles, Hunter • 5-7, Fr., G. Tarrytown, NY
Mac-Dege Dessources, York • 6-0, Sr., C. New York, NY
Eliza Srinivasan, Vassar • 5-8, Sr., G. Red Bank, NJ
Jackie Ventricelli, Ramapo • 5-6, So., G. Sayreville, NJ
Coach of the Year: Meg Barber, NYU
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