March 6, 2002
NORFOLK, VA -- The Colonial Athletic Association announced members of its all-conference women's basketball team as well as its Player, Coach, Rookie, and Defensive Player of the Year as selected by the league's ten head coaches.
Old Dominion University post player Lucienne Berhtieu (Rennes, France) captured CAA Player of the Year honors after leading the Lady Monarchs to an 18-0 mark in conference action and the top seed in this week's ALLTEL-Women's Basketball Championship in Norfolk, VA. 2002 marks the 11th consecutvie year that ODU has produced the award winner.
Berthieu returned from an ACL injury which sidelined her all of last season. The CAA Player of the Year in 2000 as well as CAA co-Player of the Year in 1999, Berthieu led the league in field goal accuracy (59.1%) and topped the Lady Monarchs in scoring (13.9 ppg). She also ranked 10th in the CAA in both rebounding (7.3 rpg) and steals (1.9 spg) while averaging less than 23 minutes of playing time per game. She is just the second women's baksetball plyaer in CAA history to win the award three times (Celeste Hill, ODU, 1992-94). ODU has never lost a CAA game with Berthieu in the line-up.
Joining her on the ALL-CAA First Team are Drexel University senior forward Michelle Maslowski, ODU senior forward Hamchetou Magia (Bamako, Mali), and the Virginia Commonwealth duo of junior forward Kristine Austgulen and senior guard Rochelle Luckett.
Maslowski, the 2001 American East Player of the Year, topped the CAA in scoring (18.9 ppg) and was third in the conference in rebounding (7.1 rgp). Maiga, the 2001 CAA Player of the Year, averaged 11.5 points per game and was second in the CAA in field goal accuracy (56.1%) and sixth in rebounding. She was also named to the CAA's All-Defensive Team. Austgulen, a junior forward, moved up to First Team All-CAA after being named a Second Teamer last season. She finished third in the regular season scoring race (16.3 ppg) and shot 50.8% from the field. A standout in the classroom as well as the basketball court, Austgulen was named to the CAA All-Academic Team and was also a member of the Verizon Academic All-American District 3 Team.
Luckett was named the CAA's Defensive Player of the Year for third consecutive season after topping the conference in steals (3.6 spg) for the third consecutive season. Going into the CAA Championship she trails only WNBA standout Ticha Penicheiro (591) in the CAA record book for career steas (420) and is fourth in the CAA in career assists (66). A First Team All-CAA selection for the second consecutive season, Luckett also ranks second in the CAA in assists (5.8 apg) while averaging 11.3 points per game.
ODU's Wendy Larry garnered CAA Coach of the Year honors for the sixth time after guiding the Lady Monarchs to an overall record of 22-5 and an 18-0 mark in CAA play. ODU posted its 11st straight 20-win season and went undefeated in CAA regular season play ofor the sixth time in the past seven seasons. As a team, the Lady Monarchs top the CAA in 13 statistical categories. In 18 league tilts, ODU recorded an average margin of victory of 33.3 points per game.
Delaware freshman standout Julie Sailer was voted CAA Rookie of the Year. A 5-11 forward, Sialer averaged 9.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Used off the bench for the majority of the season, she leads the CAA and ranks in the top 10 nationally in free throw percentage.
Maslowski was honored with the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award which recognizes the basketball student-athlete who "emboides the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship through her academic and athletic achievement." A CAA All-Academic team pick, she was recently named to the Verizon Academic All-American District 2 team.
2002 CAA Women's Basketball Honorees
First Team All-CAA:Kristine Austgulen, VCULucienne Berthieu, ODURochelle Luckett, VCUHamchetou Maiga, ODUMichelle Maslowksi, Drex
Second Team All-CAA:Megan Dellegrotti, DELJen Derevjanki, GMUOkeisha Howard, ODUShanna Price, JMUChristina Rible, DEL
All Rookie Team:Kia Butts, WMJessica Copskey, DREXShareese Grant, ODUJulie Sailer, DELKelli Talbot, TOW
All Defensive Team:Sharron Francis, ODURochelle Luckett, VCUHamchetou Maiga, ODUShavohn McKinnon, VCUAllison Trapp, DEL