Emmanuel's Higgins Crowned GNAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saints senior stat-stuffer averaging
14.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals

WINTHROP, Mass. – Emmanuel College senior guard Sarah Higgins has been selected as the 2016 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player and Defensive Player of the Year, as voted upon by the league's 12 head coaches.

Higgins, a First Team selection, is averaging 14.5 points and 6.6 rebounds in 26.3 minutes per game for the Saints and is the GNAC leader with 3.4 steals per game. The Groveland, Mass. native helped guide Emmanuel to a share of the GNAC regular-season title and an appearance this past weekend in the GNAC Championship contest.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine freshman guard Kelsi McNamara was named the GNAC Rookie of the Year, as the first-year from West Newbury, Mass. was a Second Team selection after earning GNAC Tournament MVP honors following the Monks' 66-62 win over Emmanuel on Saturday. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, the freshman currently ranks 11th among league leaders at 14.0 points per game and fifth with 4.1 assists per game.

Johnson & Wales University head coach Corey Boilard was voted the GNAC Coach of the Year by his peers after guiding the Wildcats to a share of the GNAC regular-season title and a 24-3 overall record. JWU was also featured in all three editions of the NCAA Division III Northeast regional rankings this month.

Two JWU sophomores were named to the GNAC First Team in guard Raquel Pederzani and center Ashley Thompson. Pederzani is averaging 12.0 points and a league-leading 4.4 assists, while Thompson is fourth in the GNAC with 16.4 points per game to along with 7.9 rebounds.

Rounding out the First Team selections were Saint Joseph's senior center Morgan Cahill, who is averaging 15.2 points and 8.4 rebounds for the NCAA-bound Monks, and Albertus Magnus College sophomore forward Olivia Bolden, who nearly averaged a double-double with 17.5 points and 9.4 rebounds for the Falcons. For the complete list of All-Conference choices and All-Sportsmanship Team picks, please see below.

Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 12 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 17 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement. 

First Team
Olivia Bolden, Albertus Magnus (So., F, South Windsor, Conn.)
Sarah Higgins, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Sr., G, Groveland, Mass.)
Raquel Pederzani, Johnson & Wales (So., G, Coventry, R.I.)
Ashley Thompson, Johnson & Wales (So., C, Bellingham, Mass.)
Morgan Cahill, Saint Joseph's of Maine (Sr., C, Yarmouth, Maine)

Second Team
Lena Negri, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Gr., F, Arlington, Va.)
Bobbie Whitehead, Johnson & Wales (Jr., F, Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Katie Stopera, Lasell (Sr., G, Hollis, N.H.)
Kelsi McNamara, Saint Joseph's of Maine (Fr., G, West Newbury, Mass.)
Chelsea Campellone, Suffolk (Sr., F, Fall River, Mass.)

Third Team
Liz Falcigno, Albertus Magnus (Jr., G, Wallingford, Conn.)
Angelique Martinez, Mount Ida (Jr., C, Taunton, Mass.)
Heather LeBlanc, Norwich (Jr., F, Sanford, Maine)
Savanna Butterfield, Rivier (Jr., F, Londonderry, N.H.)
Caitlyn Perry, Rivier (Jr., G, Nashua, N.H.)

Player of the Year – Sarah Higgins, Emmanuel (Mass.)
Defensive Player of the Year – Sarah Higgins, Emmanuel (Mass.)
Rookie of the Year – Kelsi McNamara, Saint Joseph's of Maine
Coach of the Year – Corey Boilard, Johnson & Wales
Institutional Sportsmanship Award – University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)

All-Sportsmanship Team
Olivia Sutherland, Albertus Magnus (Sr., G, Wallingford, Conn.)
Kayla Odegaard, Anna Maria (So., G, Milton, Mass.)
Olivia Marks, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Jr., G, Canterbury, Conn.)
Savannah Kresge, Johnson & Wales (Sr., G, Ellington, Conn.)
Deanna Barrett, Lasell (Sr., G, Berlin, Conn.)
Katlyn Jesse, Mount Ida (Jr., G, Marshfield, Mass.)
Leah Turcotte, Norwich (Sr., G, North Highlands, Calif.)
Savanna Butterfield, Rivier (Jr., F, Londonderry, N.H.)
Rajeen Mayo, Saint Joseph (Conn.) (So., G, Middletown, Conn.)
Emily DeLuca, Saint Joseph's of Maine (So., G, Gorham, Maine)
Grace Rolfe, Simmons (Sr., G, Newton, Mass.)
Katie Murray, Suffolk (Sr., F, Holden, Mass.)

– #TheGNAC –