MAAC ANNOUNCES 2013-2014 ALL-MAAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAMS Members of All-MAAC First Team Eligible for Pepsi Max MAAC Player of the Year Award
MAAC Sports
EDISON, N.J. – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announces the 2013-2014 All-MAAC Women's Basketball Teams, selected by the MAAC's 11 head coaches.
The first team is made up of Katie Cizynski from Fairfield University, Joy Adams and Damika Martinez from Iona College, Emma O'Connor from Marist College, and Rider University's MyNeshia McKenzie. Damika Martinez and MyNeshia McKenzie earn their second consecutive First Team selections. These five players are now eligible to be named the 2013-2014 Pepsi Max MAAC Player of the Year, also selected by the 11 head coaches of the league. The winner will be announced on Friday, March 7 at 5:00 p.m. at the Postseason Awards Show located at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The show will be broadcast live on MAAC.TV.
Cizynski, a 6-foot-2, senior forward from Southbury, Conn. had an excellent season and career for the Stags. She ranks fourth in the MAAC in scoring averaging 16.5 points, and fifth in rebounding averaging 8.4 rebounds per game. Cizynski was named MAAC Player of the Week on Dec. 30 and registered 11 double-doubles during the regular season, good for fourth in the league. She has scored over 1,000 career points and ranks 24th all-time in Stag history and ranks in the top 20 all-time in seven other statistical categories.
Adams, a 5-foot-11, sophomore forward from Orlando, Florida, finished the regular season tied for first nationally with 24 double-doubles and grabbed 14.1 rebounds per game which led the MAAC and ranked third in the nation. The 2012-2013 MAAC Rookie of the Year also ranks third in the conference in scoring tallying 16.6 points per outing. Adams has earned MAAC Player of the Week honors three times this season and helped garner Iona College’s first ever league regular season crown and top seed on the championship.
Martinez, a 5-foot-7, junior guard from Meriden, Conn., has had another outstanding season for the Gaels as she led them to the first MAAC regular season title and number one seed in the championship. The 2012-2013 Pepsi Max Player of the Year finishes the regular season leading the conference and ranking sixth nationally in scoring averaging 24.5 points per game. She leads the MAAC and ranks third in the nation in 3 point field goals made per game registering 3.4 shots from behind the arc each contest. Martinez has been named MAAC Player of the Week a league best five times this season. Additionally, she also leads the MAAC in free-throw percentage shooting making 107 out of 122 free throws (87.7). Martinez became Iona’s all-time leader in three point field goals made this season and tied a MAAC single game record when she recorder 46 points against Rider on Feb. 16.
O'Connor, a 6-foot, senior forward from Lynbrook, N.Y., helped guide Marist College to its 11th consecutive regular season MAAC title. She finished the regular season leading the MAAC in field goal percentage (56.0). She also ranked sixth in the league in both scoring (13.8 ppg) and in rebounding (6.8 rpg). O’Connor has won MAAC Player of the week twice this season. She has started all 30 games for the Red Foxes this season.
McKenzie, a 5-foot-11, senior forward from Springfield, Pa., earned a spot on the All-MAAC First Team for the second consecutive year. She is second in the MAAC in scoring averaging 19.5 points per game, and second in rebounding with 11.1 boards an outing. McKenzie led the league in minutes played averaging 36.6 minutes per contest. The two-time MAAC Player of the Week selection recorded 17 double-doubles this season, which is good for second in the conference. McKenzie is the third all-time leading scorer and the all-time leading rebounder at Rider University.
This season's 2013-2014 All-MAAC Second Team is also a strong unit. The Second Team is made up of Iona College’s junior Aleesha Powell, sophomore Madeline Blais of Marist College, Niagara University’s Meghan McGuiness, and the Quinnipiac University duo of Jasmine Martin and Brittany McQuain.
The 2013-2014 All-MAAC Third Team unit is also a formidable group. The Third Team consists of Fairfield University’s senior guard Alexys Vasquez, repeat Third Team members Monica Roeder of Manhattan College and Marist College’s Leanne Ockenden, Monmouth University’s Chevannah Paalvast, Quinnipiac University’s Gillian Abshire, and senior forward Kaydine Bent of Saint Peter’s University.
FIRST TEAM ALL-MAAC
|
Player
|
Yr.
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Hometown
|
PPG
|
Other
|
|
Katie Cizynski, Fairfield
|
Sr.
|
F
|
6-2
|
Southbury, Conn.
|
16.5
|
8.4 RPG
|
|
Joy Adams, Iona
|
So.
|
F
|
5-11
|
Orlando, Fl.
|
16.6
|
13.9 RPG
|
|
Damika Martinez, Iona #
|
Jr.
|
G
|
5-7
|
Meriden, CT
|
24.5
|
3.4 3-PT PG
|
|
Emma O'Connor, Marist
|
Sr.
|
F
|
6-0
|
Lynbrook, N.Y.
|
13.8
|
56.0 FT%
|
|
MyNeshia McKenzie, Rider #
|
Sr.
|
G/F
|
5-11
|
Springfield, Pa.
|
19.5
|
11.1 RPG
|
SECOND TEAM ALL-MAAC
|
Player
|
Yr.
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Hometown
|
PPG
|
Other
|
|
Aleesha Powell, Iona
|
Jr.
|
G
|
5-6
|
Philadelphia, Pa.
|
11.5
|
42.4 3-PT%
|
|
Madeline Blais, Marist
|
So.
|
G/F
|
6-1
|
Exeter, N.H.
|
13.0
|
47.1 3-PT%
|
|
Meghan McGuiness, Niagara
|
Jr.
|
G
|
5-10
|
Lincroft, N.J.
|
12.9
|
43.3 3-PT%
|
|
Jasmine Martin, Quinnipiac
|
Jr.
|
G
|
5-6
|
Sicklerville, N.J.
|
15.3
|
3.6 FT PG
|
|
Brittany McQuain, Quinnipiac
|
Sr.
|
F
|
6-0
|
Independence, Mo.
|
12.9
|
9.2 RPG
|
THIRD TEAM ALL-MAAC
|
Player
|
Yr.
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Hometown
|
PPG
|
Other
|
|
Alexys Vasquez, Fairfield
|
Sr.
|
G
|
5-10
|
Berlin, Conn.
|
10.4
|
41.6 3-PT%
|
|
Monica Roeder, Mahattan
|
Sr.
|
G/F
|
6-0
|
Marlton, N.J.
|
12.2
|
4.5 RPG
|
|
Leanne Ockenden, Marist
|
Sr.
|
G
|
5-10
|
Syracuse, N.Y.
|
11.8
|
4.7 RPG
|
|
Chevannah Paalvast, Monmouth
|
RSr.
|
G/F
|
6-0
|
Auckland, New Zealand
|
13.3
|
2.3 APG
|
|
Gillian Abshire, Quinnipiac
|
Jr.
|
G
|
5-9
|
Washington, D.C.
|
7.1
|
6.8 APG
|
|
Kaydine Bent, Saint Peter's
|
Sr.
|
F
|
6-1
|
Bronx, N.Y.
|
12.9
|
9.0 RPG
|
# Repeat First Team All-MAAC choice