Player of the Week
Sophie Auer, Daemen
Senior | F | Oberanven, Luxembourg
Auer tied a season-high 19 points on the day after shooting 61.5 percent from the field (8-of-13) to go with eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals in Daemen's 80-51 win over Roberts Wesleyan in the regular season finale on Saturday. The Wildcats are the No. 1 seed heading into this week’s ECC Women’s Basketball Championship.
Defensive Player of the Week
Danielle Hippner, Molloy
Senior | C | East Meadow, NY
Hippner closed out the regular season with a pair of double-doubles to help Molloy pick up two wins while continuing to be a force in the middle of the Lions’ defense. In Wednesday's 69-45 victory over Staten Island, Hippner collected a game-high 16 points, 13 rebounds (10 defensive), and seven blocks while holding the Dolphins to 23.4 percent shooting from the floor. For an encore on Sunday against District of Columbia, the Molloy center totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds (six defensive), and three blocks while anchoring a defense that held the Firebirds to 28.0 percent shooting. On the week, Hippner averaged 13.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 8.0 defensive rebounds, and 5.0 blocks per game.
Rookie of the Week
Ne'vaeh Buntley, Daemen
Freshman | F | Rochester, NY
Buntley led Daemen with 12 rebounds and added nine points, two steals, two assists, and one block in a 80-51 win over Roberts Wesleyan in the regular season finale. The Wildcats are the No. 1 seed heading into this week’s ECC Women’s Basketball Championship.
ECC Weekly Honor Roll
Amani Abuhatab, Mercy
Sophomore | G | West Haven, CT
Abuhatab had a team-high 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting with six rebounds and four assists in Mercy's win at STAC on Saturday.
Nkiru Awaka, Queens
Sophomore | F | Hyde Park, NY
In the Knights’ final two games of the season, Awaka averaged 18.5 points per game on 51.6 percent shooting to go with 10.0 rebounds per game and 2.5 steals per game. In Wednesday’s loss to District of Columbia, the Queens sophomore forward recorded her 12th double-double of the year with 19 points and 14 rebounds to go with two assists, one block, and one steal. On Saturday against Staten Island, Awaka dropped 18 points, six rebounds, and four steals to round out her sophomore year.
Angelina Barrera, Mercy
Junior | F | Gloucester City, NJ
Barrera had a double-double by way of 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to go with four assists, two steals, and one block in Mercy's win at St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday.
Syrita Faraj, St. Thomas Aquinas
Senior | G/F | Troy, NY
In her final game as a Spartan, Faraj racked up a double-double, posting a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds (nine defensive) in STAC's 82-65 loss to Mercy on Saturday. The senior guard/forward also tallied an assist and three steals in 30 minutes of action against the Mavericks and shot 56.0 percent (10-of-18) from the field.
Sofie Fuglsang, D’Youville
Senior | F | Oberanven, Luxembourg
Fuglsang led the Saints' offense with 21 points and added four rebounds, one block, and one steal in D'Youville's playoff-clinching win over Roberts Wesleyan on Wednesday.
Georgia Haverlock, Roberts Wesleyan
Graduate Student | G | Ithaca, NY
Haverlock finished the season with another pair of team-leading scoring efforts. In two games, the RWU graduate student guard scored 37 points on 13-of-28 shooting from the field (46.4 percent) with six three-pointers.
Anna Jankovic, D’Youville
Senior | G/F | Averill Park, NY
Jankovic made a major impact on the defensive side of the ball for D'Youville on Wednesday, recording five steals and two blocks and grabbing eight total rebounds (four defensive). The DYU senior also scored 17 points to help the Saints clinch a playoff spot.
Laci Johnson, District of Columbia
Senior | G | Herndon, VA
Johnson averaged 11.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game over two contests last week. In the Firebirds’ win over Queens that secured their postseason spot, Johnson posted 12 points and assisted on the game-winning shot. In the loss to Molloy, the UDC senior had 11 points, six assists, and three steals.
Tori Williams, District of Columbia
Senior | G | Fairfield, OH
Williams averaged 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game over three games last week. In the loss to Jefferson, Williams posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds while adding five assists, two steals, and a block. In the Firebirds’ win over Queens, Williams made three crucial blocks in the final minutes of play and sunk the game-winning shot that secured the Firebirds’ spot in the postseason.
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
Dec. 9 - Cecilia Lapertosa, Daemen
Dec. 16 - Danielle DiCintio, Daemen
Dec. 23 - Ashley Chio, Queens
Jan. 6 - Syrita Faraj, St. Thomas Aquinas
Jan. 13 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (4x)
Jan. 20 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens
Jan. 27 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (2x)
Feb. 3 - Sofie Fuglsang, D'Youville
Feb. 10 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (3x) and Anna Jankovic, D'Youville
Feb. 17 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (5x)
Feb. 24 - Grace Lesko, Mercy
Mar. 3 - Sophie Auer, Daemen
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
Dec. 9 - Cecilia Lapertosa, Daemen
Dec. 16 - Claire Pikett, Daemen
Dec. 23 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens
Jan. 6 - Angelina Barrera, Mercy
Jan. 13 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (2x)
Jan. 20 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (3x)
Jan. 27 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (4x)
Feb. 3 - Grace Dow, Roberts Wesleyan
Feb. 10 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (4x)
Feb. 17 - Anna Jankovic, D'Youville
Feb. 24 - Danielle Hippner, Molloy and Grace Lesko, Mercy
Mar. 3 - Danielle Hippner, Molloy (2x)
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
Dec. 9 - Grace Lesko, Mercy
Dec. 16 - Ashley Chio, Queens (2x)
Dec. 23 - Ashley Chio, Queens (3x)
Jan. 6 - Grace Lesko, Mercy (2x)
Jan. 13 - Grace Lesko, Mercy (3x)
Jan. 20 - Grace Lesko (4x)
Jan. 27 - Ashley Chio, Queens (4x)
Feb. 3 - Aliviya Vallone Russell, D'Youville (2x)
Feb. 10 - Ne'vaeh Buntley, Daemen
Feb. 17 - Ne'vaeh Buntley, Daemen (2x)
Feb. 24 - Grace Lesko, Mercy (5x)
Mar. 3 - Ne'vaeh Buntley, Daemen (3x)
Previously in the Polls
WBCA TOP 25 COACHES POLL
Preseason: Daemen (RV)
Week 1 (11/19) through Week 14 (2/25): --
Week 15 (3/4): TBA
D2CSC TOP 25 MEDIA POLL
Preseason (11/5): Daemen (RV)
Week 1 (11/12) through Week 14 (2/25): --
Week 15 (3/4): TBA
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 3 (11/25): Daemen (10), Mercy (RV), Molloy (RV)
Week 4 (12/2): Daemen (10), Molloy (RV), Mercy (RV)
Week 5 (12/9): Daemen (10)
Week 6 (12:16): Daemen (9)
Week 7 (1/6): Daemen (10), Mercy (RV)
Week 8 (1/13): Daemen (8)
Week 9 (1/20): Daemen (8), Staten Island (RV)
Week 10 (1/27): Daemen (7), Staten Island (10)
Week 11 (2/3): Daemen (6), Staten Island (T-9), Mercy (RV)
Week 12 (2/10): Daemen (T-5), Staten Island (9)
Week 13 (2/17): Daemen (5), Staten Island (9), Mercy (RV)
NCAA EAST REGION POLL
First Ranking (2/19): Daemen (Under Consideration), Staten Island (Under Consideration)
Second Ranking (2/26): Daemen (2), Staten Island (10)
Third Ranking (3/5): TBA
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