WEST BABYLON, N.Y. – The East Coast Conference announced its 2024 Women’s Basketball All-Conference honorees on Thursday afternoon, with Daemen senior guard Alahna Paige (Rochester, N.Y.) leading the way at the league’s Player of the Year. Mercy sophomore forward Angelina Barrera (Gloucester City, N.J.) earned Defensive Player of the Year honors while Queens freshman forward Nkiru Awaka (Hyde Park, N.Y.) was tabbed the Rookie of the Year. Mercy head coach Scott Lagas received Coach of the Year recognition to round out the major award winners, with all voting completed by the league’s nine head coaches.
Paige, now a two-time All-Conference honoree after earning Second Team honors a season ago, was the selection as the league’s top player after leading the ECC in regular-season scoring with 21.7 points per game, which currently ranks her second in the nation, and 3.36 three-pointers made per game, which leads all of Division II. The Daemen star also led the ECC in total three-pointers made (84, 10th nationally), three-point percentage (41.0, 19th nationally), and total field goals made (174) and ranked second in free throw percentage (85.9) and field goal attempts (424), third in free throws made (110) and field goal percentage (41.0), fourth in minutes per game (36.43), and sixth in assists per game (2.9). Paige hit double figures in all 25 of the Wildcats’ regular-season contests this year, including 14 20+ point games and three 30+ point games, with a season-high 36-point game against St. Thomas Aquinas on February 16.
Led by three-time ECC Player of the Week Paige, Daemen (18-7, 13-3 ECC) sat toward the top of the conference in multiple categories, leading the ECC in winning percentage (72.0) and field goal percentage (40.6) and ranking second in scoring offense (64.9 points per game), scoring margin (6.6), three-point percentage (33.5), free throw percentage (74.3), and scoring defense (58.3).
Barrera earns the title of the conference’s best defender after anchoring a Mercy defensive unit that held its opposition to an average of 57.2 points per game, the best average in the conference this year. Individually, Barrera ranks third in the ECC in rebounds per game (8.7), fifth in total rebounds (234) and free throw percentage (79.5), and seventh in total blocks (30), blocks per game (1.11), and minutes per game (34.26). The Mercy standout added 10.6 points per game, with 10 double-doubles (second in the ECC) and 16 double-digit performances on the year.
Led by two-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week Barrera, Mercy (19-8, 12-4 ECC) also led the conference in rebounding margin (3.6) and ranked second in three-point percentage defense (26.9) and turnovers forced per game (18.37).
Awaka was a 10-time ECC Rookie of the Week honoree while averaging 12.3 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game, ranking second in the ECC in the latter category. The Queens freshman also tied for first in the ECC in offensive rebounds per game (3.3) and led all ECC rookies in total rebounds (237), defensive rebounds per game (5.5), total steals (46), steals per game (1.70), and free throw attempts (131). Awaka turned in 15 double-digit performances, including four 20+ point games, and seven double-doubles in her collegiate debut season.
After guiding the Mavericks to a 19-8 overall record and 12-4 mark in conference play as well as the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, Mercy’s Lagas has earned ECC Coach of the Year honors from his peers. Under Lagas’ direction, Mercy ranked in the ECC’s top three in numerous categories including winning percentage (70.4), scoring defense (57.2 points per game), rebounding margin (3.6), free throws made/attempted per game (14.78/20.48), three-point percentage defense (26.9), turnovers forced per game (18.37), and scoring margin (4.8). The Mavs have now won 17+ overall games and 11+ conference games for back-to-back seasons.
Joining Paige on the First Team are St. Thomas Aquinas’ Sarah Ericson and Erin Leary, UDC’s Destiny Ryles, and Mercy’s Jaclyn Stanavich and Katie Wall.
All-Conference Second Team honorees are Jenalyse Alarcon (Staten Island), Brianna Davis (Queens), Trinity Hudson (Molloy), Anna Jankovic (D’Youville), and Gabby McDuffie (Daemen).
Awaka is joined on the Third Team by Roberts Wesleyan’s Danielle DiCintio and Georgia Havelock, UDC’s Latavia Jackson and Tori Williams, and Daemen’s Claire Pikett.
2023-24 ECC Women’s Basketball All-Conference
First Team
Sarah Ericson, St. Thomas Aquinas
Erin Leary, St. Thomas Aquinas
Alahna Paige, Daemen
Destiny Ryles, District of Columbia
Jaclyn Stanavich, Mercy
Katie Wall, Mercy
Second Team
Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island
Brianna Davis, Queens
Trinity Hudson, Molloy
Anna Jankovic, D'Youville
Gabby McDuffie, Daemen
Third Team*
Nkiru Awaka, Queens
Danielle DiCintio, Roberts Wesleyan
Georgia Haverlock, Roberts Wesleyan
Latavia Jackson, District of Columbia
Claire Pikett, Daemen
Tori Williams, District of Columbia
*Tie results in six selections for Third Team
Player of the Year: Alahna Paige, Daemen
Defensive Player of the Year: Angelina Barrera, Mercy
Rookie of the Year: Nkiru Awaka, Queens
Coach of the Year: Scott Lagas, Mercy