Player of the Week
Samantha Muller, Molloy
Senior | F | North Babylon, NY
Muller was a centerpiece in Molloy's 3-0 week, where she averaged 17.0 points per game with 25 total rebounds and six steals. The Molloy senior collected three consecutive 10+ point performances. Muller netted a season-high 22 points against Puerto Rico-Bayamon on Tuesday while bringing down nine rebounds. Against Dominican on Saturday, Muller secured another nine-rebound game while totaling 15 points and three steals and finished off the week with 14 points, seven rebounds, and three steals against Felician on Sunday.
Defensive Player of the Week
Sajol Thornhill, Queens
Freshman | G | Ashburn, VA
Over three games played, Thornhill averaged 10.3 points, 6.0 steals, 4.7 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game. In the victory over Wilmington on Tuesday evening, Thornhill recorded her first career double-double with a career-best performance of 21 points on 50.0 percent shooting and 12 steals (Queens women's basketball program and rookie record), to go with six assists and four rebounds. In the victory over Felician on Saturday afternoon, the rookie recorded eight points, three steals, and five assists. She would conclude the adding three more steals and assists against regionally-ranked Dominican on Sunday afternoon.
Rookie of the Week
Ashley Chio, Queens
Freshman | G | North Vancouver, Canada
Over three games played, Chio averaged 12.0 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. In the victory over Wilmington on Tuesday evening, Chio recorded 12 points, five assists, two steals, and three rebounds. In the victory over Felician on Saturday afternoon, the rookie point guard recorded a career-best 16 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals. Chio concluded the week with eight points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal against regionally-ranked Dominican on Sunday afternoon.
ECC Weekly Honor Roll
Jalea Abrams, Queens
Sophomore | G | Elmira, NY
Over three games played, Abrams averaged 19.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game. In the victory over Wilmington on Tuesday evening, the sophomore recorded 12 points and four rebounds. In the victory over Felician on Saturday afternoon, Abrams recorded 22 points with five made three-pointers to go with four rebounds and one steal. Abrams would conclude the week recording a season-best 23 points and tallied back-to-back games with five made three-pointers to go with five rebounds, and three steals against regionally-ranked Dominican University on Sunday afternoon.
Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island
Senior | F | Troy, NY
Alarcon opened the week with two blocks and a steal at the defensive end in a Dolphins loss to Dominican University on Tuesday. However, she helped CSI bounce back on Sunday with 15 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks in a win over East Stroudsburg. For the week, the senior averaged 8.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks.
Sophie Auer, Daemen
Sophomore | G | Lewiston, NY
Auer scored 11 of her career-high 19 points in the third quarter to lead Daemen to a 55-53 road win Sunday at Holy Family, the Wildcats' only contest of the week. It marked the fourth straight win for the Wildcats as Auer connected on eight of her 15 field goal attempts while adding three rebounds and three steals. Auer is averaging a team-high 11.3 points per game this season.
Nkiru Awaka, Queens
Sophomore | F | Hyde Park, NY
Over three games played, Awaka averaged 5.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game. In the victory over Felician on Saturday afternoon, the sophomore recorded five points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and three steals. Awaka concluded the week with her first double-double of the year with 11 points, 15 rebounds, a career-best 5 blocks, and two steals against regionally-ranked Dominican on Sunday afternoon.
Angelina Barrera, Mercy
Junior | F | Gloucester City, NJ
Barrera averaged a team-high 18.0 points per game on 47.8 percent shooting with 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game as Mercy went 1-1 on the week. The junior opened the week with 15 points on 11-of-12 shooting from the foul line with six rebounds, four assists and two steals in the 75-55 win at Bridgeport on Tuesday. The forward ended the week with a game- and season-high 21 points with four rebounds against No. 20 Assumption on Sunday.
Tania Hill, District of Columbia
Senior | G/F | Brandywine, MD
Hill posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to go with five steals and two blocks against Virginia Union.
Anna Jankovic, D’Youville
Senior | G/F | Averill Park, NY
Jankovic scored a team-high 15 points, grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, and dished out three assists in D'Youville's loss to Edinboro on Wednesday.
Karolina Jaruseviciute, St. Thomas Aquinas
Graduate Student | F | Toms River, NJ
Jaruseviciute averaged 11.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal over two contests last week for STAC. The graduate student forward tallied nine points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out two assists and swiped two steals in 27 minutes in an 80-52 loss to Caldwell before recording 14 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and a block in 36 minutes in a 65-63 win at Pace. Jaruseviciute shot 55.5 percent (10-of-18) from the field and 75.0 percent from the charity stripe (3-of-4).
Colleen McCullagh, Molloy
Junior | F | New Hyde Park, NY
McCullagh was key for the Lions on the boards in a 3-0 week. The junior totaled 23 rebounds on the week while collecting 15 on the offensive glass, providing second chance opportunities. The forward swiped five steals through three games, including three against Felician where she also brought down nine rebounds and led the squad with 16 points. To cap the week, McCullagh averaged 11 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.
ECC Women's Basketball Weekly Award Winners
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nov. 11 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island
Nov. 18 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (2x) and Georgia Haverlock, Roberts Wesleyan
Nov. 25 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (3x)
Dec. 2 - Samantha Muller, Molloy
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nov. 11 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island
Nov. 18 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (2x)
Nov. 25 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (3x)
Dec. 2 - Sajol Thornhill, Queens
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Nov. 11 - Allie Hall, D'Youville
Nov. 18 - Samantha Ruhlman, D'Youville
Nov. 25 - Aliviya Vallone Russell, D'Youville
Dec. 2 - Ashley Chio, Queens
Previously in the Polls
WBCA TOP 25 COACHES POLL
Preseason: Daemen (RV)
Week 1 (11/19): --
D2CSC TOP 25 MEDIA POLL
Preseason (11/5): Daemen (RV)
Week 1 (11/12): --
Week 2 (11/19): --
Week 3 (11/26): --
D2CSC TOP 10 EAST REGION MEDIA POLL
Preseason (11/4): Daemen (4), Mercy (5)
Week 2 (11/11): Mercy (5), Daemen (9), Molloy (RV)
Week 3 (11/18): Mercy (7), Molloy (RV)
Week 4 (12/2): Daemen (10), Mercy (RV), Molloy (Rv)
NCAA EAST REGION POLL
ECC PRESEASON POLL
1. Mercy - 76 points (5 first-place votes)
2. Daemen - 71 points (3 first-place votes)
3. District of Columbia - 60 points (1 first-place vote)
4. St. Thomas Aquinas - 52 points
5. Staten Island - 43 points
6. Molloy - 30 points
7. Queens - 29 points
8. D'Youville - 27 points
9. Roberts Wesleyan - 17 points