March 9, 2004
NORFOLK, Va. - The Colonial Athletic Association tonightannounced members of its all-conference women's basketball team as well asits Player-, Coach-, Rookie- and Defensive-Player-of-the-Year as selectedby the league's head coaches, women's basketball sports informationdirectors and a panel of media.
Virginia Commonwealth University guard Cyndy Wilks (Bridgeton,N.J./Bridgeton), the fifth leading scorer in the nation, captured CAAPlayer of the Year honors. A 5-11 senior, Wilks is averaging 21.8 pointsper game which is 5.5 points higher than any other player in theconference. She opened the year with a season-high 31 points and hasscored in double figures in all 26 VCU games this season. On pace toeclipse the CAA single season scoring record (20.5ppg) currently held bythree-time CAA Player of the Year Celeste Hill (Old Dominion, 1994) andformer UNC Wilmington standout Elizabeth Bell (1987), Wilks is fourth inthe CAA in three-pointers made (51) and tied for second in free throws made(126). She is the second consecutive Ram to win the award (KristineAustgulen, 2003).
Joining Wilks on the All-CAA First Team are ODU seniors Monique Coker(Bronx, N.Y./ Monsignor Scanlan) and Max Nhassengo (Maputo, Mozambique),George Mason University senior Jen Derevjanik (Staten Island, N.Y./St.Peter's) and UNCW senior Cherie Lea (Blanch, N.C./Yancy).
Coker led the CAA regular season champion Lady Monarchs in scoring(14.8ppg) and ranks second in the conference in rebounding (9.6rpg). Shewas the CAA's top offensive rebounder and also ranked third in theconference in blocked shots (1.5bpg). Nhassengo averaged 14.2 points pergame and was second in the CAA in field goal accuracy (52.7%). She wasalso honored as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the LadyMonarchs and ranking fifth in the conference in steals (2.4spg).
Derevjanik, who along with Coker moved up from the 2003 All-CAASecond Team, was second in the conference in both scoring (16.3ppg) andassists (4.1apg) and topped the conference in assist/turnover ratio. Shewas a First Team Academic All-District selection and was a member of theCAA's All Academic Team along with Lea and 11 other players. Lea, the CAApre-season Player of the Year, is the only First Team All-CAA repeater fromlast season. She ranked third in the conference in scoring (15.7ppg),sixth in assist/turnover ratio and seventh in field goal accuracy (46.4%).Lea was also honored with the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award which recognizesthe basketball student-athlete who "embodies the highest standards ofleadership, integrity and sportsmanship through her academic and athleticachievement."
Hofstra University's Felisha Legette-Jack garnered CAA Coach of theYear honors after guiding the Pride to just their fourth regular seasonwinning record since joining the Division I ranks in 1982. Hofstra posteda school record 11 conference victories to tie for second in the regularseason CAA standings after being picked seventh in the pre-season media daypoll. The Pride posted an overall mark of 14-13 which included a 74-72 winover ODU on January 18 in what most observers consider the biggest win inschool history. Legette-Jack, who was recently named to the BIG EASTConference silver anniversary team, has helped Hofstra become one of themost improved programs in Division I with a roster that features six newfaces from last season including five freshmen and a junior collegetransfer.
James Madison University freshman standout Lesley Dickinson (QueensVillage, N.Y./Christ the King) was voted the 2004 CAA Rookie of the Year.A 5-10 forward, Dickinson ranked fourth in the conference in scoring (15.2ppg) and grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game. Dickinson, who started all 29games for the Dukes, was voted CAA Rookie of the Week four times during theregular season and set a JMU freshman single season scoring record with 450points.
The 2004 CAA Women's Basketball Championship tips off on March 10 atthe Constant Convocation Center on the campus of Old Dominion Universitywhere the host Lady Monarchs will be gunning for their 13th consecutivetournament title. The tournament runs through Saturday, March 13 and thefinals are slated to be available to more than 25 million households viaComcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast Sportsnet ? Philadelphia, FOX-NewYork, Fox SportsNet South and KTVS-TV (Albuquerque, N.M.). Thechampionship game tips off at noon.
2004 CAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL AWARD WINNERS
FIRST TEAM ALL-CAA Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown/High School or CollegeCyndy Wilks, VCU G 5-11 SR Bridgeton, N.J./Bridgeton%Monique Coker, ODU G/F 6-1 SR Bronx, N.Y./Monsignor ScanlanMax Nhassengo, ODU G 5-10 SR Maputo, Mozambique%$Jen Derevjanik, GMU G 5-10 SR Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's*Cherie Lea, UNCW G 5-9 SR Blanch, N.C./Bartlett Yancy/UNC-Chapel Hill
SECOND TEAM ALL-CAA Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown/High School or College%Tiara Malcom, DEL F 6-1 JR Wilmington, Del./Caravel AcademyVernessa Neamo, GMU G 5-10 SR Forestville, Md./DuValAmaka Agugua, Hofstra F 5-11 JR Herndon, Va./OaktonShareese Grant, ODU G 5-8 JR Virginia Beach, Va./Princess AnneKacy O'Brien, TU G 5-11 SO Pittsburgh, Pa./Carlynton
THIRD TEAM ALL-CAA Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown/High School or CollegeJennifer Kapper, UNCW G 5-7 SR Waynesville, Ohio/WaynesvilleLesley Dickinson, JMU F 5-10 FR Queens Village, N.Y./Christ the KingCatherine Scanlon, Drexel G 5-11 SO Drexel Hill, Pa./Cardinal O'HaraKyra Kaylor, W&M G/F 6-0 FR Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. ClairMeredith Alexis, JMU F/C 6-1 FR Ashley, Pa./Bishop Hoban
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM Pos. Ht. Cl. Hometown/High School or CollegeLesley Dickinson, JMU F 5-10 FR Queens Village, N.Y./Christ the KingKyra Kaylor, W&M G/F 6-0 FR Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. ClairKyle DeHaven, W&M G 5-9 FR Herndon, Va./HerndonMeredith Alexis, JMU F/C 6-2 FR Ashley, Pa./Bishop HobanKelly Robinson, Towson F 6-1 FR Hazlet, N.J./Raritan
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAMMax Nhassengo, ODU G 5-10 SR Maputo, MozambiqueStaceyann Claxton, Hofstra G 5-5 SR Hempstead, N.Y./Monsignor ScanlanVernessa Neamo, GMU G 5-10 SR Forestville, Md./DuValKristina Cesnaviciute, VCU C 6-8 JR Kaunas, LithuaniaKyle DeHaven, W&M G 5-9 FR Herndon, Va./Herndon
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMKristina Cesnaviciute, VCU C 6-8 JR Kaunas, LithuaniaStaceyann Claxton, Hofstra G 5-5 SR Hempstead, N.Y./Monsignor ScanlanJen Derevjanik, GMU G 5-10 SR Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter'sMeagan Evans, VCU G 5-9 JR Sherbrooke AustraliaChristin Gethers, W&M F 6-1 SR Yorktown, Va./GraftonMaria Giovannetti, VCU F 5-11 JR Richmond, Va./St. Gertrude'sLaura Kooij, GMU G/F 6-1 JR Den Helder, Holland/ OSG Willem BlaueCherie Lea, UNCW G 5-9 SR Blanch, N.C./Bartlett YancyKatrina Martin, Drexel G/F 5-9 JR Bowie, Md./Elizabeth SetonNatalia Oehninger, VCU G 5-8 SO Norfolk, Va./CatholicSusan Otim, GMU F 5-10 SR Fairfax, Va./FairfaxJulie Sailer, Delaware G 5-11 JR Washington Crossing, Pa./Council RockUrszula Smolarek, Hofstra G 5-9 SR Gorzow, Poland/Okaloosa-Walton CC
*2003 First Team All-CAA
%2003 Second Team All-CAA
$2002 Second Team All-CAA
MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
2004 CAA COACH OF THE YEAR: Felisha Legette-Jack, Hofstra
2004 CAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cyndy Wilks, VCU
2004 CAA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Lesley Dickinson, JMU
2004 CAA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Max Nhassengo, ODU
2004 DEAN EHLERS LEADERSHIP AWARD: Cherie Lea, UNCW