CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – American senior Emily Kinneston was named the Patriot League Women’s Basketball Player of the Year after leading the Eagles its first regular-season title since 2014-15 and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Patriot League Women’s Basketball Tournament. The postseason major awards and all-League honors were announced by the League office Friday.
The two-time Patriot League The Rock Player of the Week helped the Eagles to 16 League wins as she averaged 15.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season. For the first time since the 1970s, American finished its regular-season home schedule undefeated with a 13-0 home court record.
Loyola Maryland sophomore Stephanie Karcz earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, after leading the League with 3.9 steals and 7.4 defensive rebounds per game. Karcz ended the regular season on a high note with 10 steals and six rebounds against Navy.
A five-time Patriot League The Rock Rookie of the Week, Loyola Maryland freshman Izzy Therien tabbed Rookie of the Year after leading the Greyhounds in scoring with 15.1 points per game.
American head coach Megan Gebbia was picked as Coach of the Year, after guiding the Eagles to an eight-game improvement from last season’s overall record, and a 13-0 record at home this year.
The Patriot League major awards and all-League teams were voted on by Patriot League women’s basketball head coaches, who could not vote for their own student-athletes or themselves.
2017-18 All-Patriot League Teams
Kinneston is joined on the All-Patriot League First Team by Bucknell junior Kate Walker, who averaged 12.4 points per game. Holy Cross sophomore Lauren Manis (17.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg) is joined on the first-team by Karcz and Navy senior Taylor Dunham, who averaged 14.6 points per game in the regular season.
American’s Cecily Carl highlights the second-team as she pulled down 7.9 rebounds per game to go with 12.8 points per game this season. Preseason Player of the Year Army West Point junior Madison Hovren (14.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg) was also named to the second-team and is joined by Bucknell’s Kaitlyn Slagus, who led the Bison in rebounds per game with 8.8. Holy Cross’s Infiniti Thomas-Waheed capped of the regular-season with 16.4 points per game for a second-team nod, while Lehigh senior Quinci Mann led the Mountain Hawks with 13.9 points per game to be named to the second-team.
Five student-athletes from all different institutions were named to the third-team, including American’s Maria Liddane, who dished 3.1 assists per game with a 75.4 free-throw percentage. Boston University sophomore Nia Irving earned third-team accolades averaging 13.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, while Bucknell’s Kyi English also earned third-team accolades with 10.1 points per game. Lehigh’s Camryn Buhr and Navy’s Hannah Fenske rounded out the team, as Buhr has scored 12.5 points per game while Fenske has scored 10.9 points per game.
Army West Point senior Janae McNeal joins Liddane and Karcz on the all-defensive team as she has grabbed 4.5 rebounds per game this season. Bucknell’s Catherine Romaine grabbed 5.5 rebounds per game in the regular season to earn an all-defensive team nod, followed by Navy’s Kaila Clark who grabbed 8.6 boards and tallied 1.6 steals per contest.
Therien is joined on the All-Rookie Team by Lafayette’s Natalie Kucowski, the League leader in rebounds per game (10.4). Kucowski’s teammate Drew Freeland was also named to the rookie team as she led the Leopards in 3-point shooting percentage (41.2). Bucknell Abby Kapp earned a spot on the rookie team with a 70.0 free-throw percentage, along with Boston U.’s Katie Nelson, who averaged 9.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
2017-18 Women’s Basketball All-Patriot League Team and Major Awards
Player of the Year: Emily Kinneston, American, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Stephanie Karcz, Loyola Maryland, So.
Rookie of the Year: Izzy Therien, Loyola Maryland, Fr.
Coach of the Year: Megan Gebbia, American
First-Team All-Patriot League
Emily Kinneston, American, Sr.
Kate Walker, Bucknell, Jr.
Lauren Manis, Holy Cross, So.
Stephanie Karcz, Loyola Maryland, So.
Taylor Dunham, Navy, Sr.
Second-Team All-Patriot League
Cecily Carl, American, Jr.
Madison Hovren, Army West Point, Jr.
Kaitlyn Slagus, Bucknell, Jr.
Infiniti Thomas-Waheed, Holy Cross, Sr.
Quinci Mann, Lehigh, Sr.
Third-Team All-Patriot League
Maria Liddane, American, Sr.
Nia Irving, Boston U., So.
Kyi English, Bucknell, Jr.
Camryn Buhr, Lehigh, So.
Hannah Fenske, Navy, Sr.
All-Defensive Team
Maria Liddane, American, Sr.
Janae McNeal, Army West Point, Sr.
Catherine Romaine, Bucknell, Sr.
Stephanie Karcz, Loyola Maryland, So.
Kaila Clark, Navy, So.
All-Rookie Team
Katie Nelson, Boston U.
Abby Kapp, Bucknell
Drew Freeland, Lafayette
Natalie Kucowski, Lafayette
Izzy Therien, Loyola Maryland
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.