CAA Announces Women's Basketball Award Winners

March 8, 2005

FAIRFAX, VA. - University of Delaware senior Tiara Malcom (Wilmington, Del./Caraval Academy) was named the Colonial Athletic Association's 2005 women's basketball Player of the Year in voting by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and members of the media. A 6-1 forward, Malcom was the CAA's pre-season Player of the Year and lived up to her advance billing by being selected CAA Player of the Week on six occasions. She paced the top-seeded Fightin' Blue Hens averaging a league-high 16.6 points and also averaged 6.6 rebounds per game. She was the MVP of the Christmas City Classic and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Fiesta Bowl. She scored in double figures in 25 of 27 games and currently ranks third in the UD record book with 1,484 career points and ninth with 765 career rebounds. A Second Team All-CAA performer the past two seasons, Malcom is the first UD player to receive the award.

Delaware coach Tina Martin and Drexel University coach Denise Dillon shared CAA Coach of the Year honors. Martin led the Blue Hens to a first place finish in the CAA regular season standings with a record of 16-2. In her ninth season in Newark, Martin's squad posted an overall record of 23-4 and topped the conference in turnover margin. UD had a 17-game winning streak that included a pair of victories over 13-time defending champion Old Dominion University. The Blue Hens reached the 20-win plateau for the fifth time in six seasons and have received votes in the last six ESPN/WBCA Coaches' Polls. Going into the CAA Tournament, Delaware had the 15th best winning percentage in the nation and was ranked #44 in the RPI according to RPIratings.com.After being picked ninth in the pre-season, Dillon led the Dragons to an overall record of 18-9. In posting just their second winning record in the past 15 seasons, the Dragons successfully blended a mix of veterans and newcomers. Despite losing three starters from a 10-18 squad, they posted a 12-6 mark in league play and bumped off ODU in their regular season finale to enter this week's tournament as the #3 seed. The Dragons rank 15th nationally in scoring defense (54.2ppg) and 23rd in fewest turnovers per game. Drexel also tops the CAA and ranks 14th nationally in free throw percentage (75.9%).

Joining Malcom on the All-CAA First Team were ODU senior guard Shareese Grant (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne), Hofstra University sophomore redshirt guard Cigi McCollin (Long Island, N.Y./Christ the King) and the Drexel duo of Catherine Scanlon (Drexel Hill, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) and Katrina Martin (Bowie, Md./Elizabeth Seton).

Grant paced the Lady Monarchs and ranked eighth in the CAA in scoring (14.4ppg). The two-time Most Outstanding Performer of the CAA Tournament, Grant topped the CAA in assist to turnover ratio and was also a member of the CAA All-Defensive Team. McCollin ranks fourth in the CAA in scoring (16.2ppg) and tops the conference with 2.7 three-pointers per game. Her 70 three-pointers made already ties her for the ninth best single season total in CAA history. Scanlon, the 2003 CAA Rookie of the Year, averaged 15.3 points per game and moves up from the 2004 All-CAA Third Team. She also led Drexel and ranked ninth in the CAA in rebounding (7.7rpg). Martin, a senior forward, ranked third in the CAA in scoring (16.2ppg) and led the league in field goal accuracy (50.4%). She is the second leading scorer in school history with 1,631 career points.

UNC Wilmington red-shirt freshman Meagan Samis (Oklahoma City, Okla./Casady) garnered CAA Rookie of the Year honors. A four-time CAA Rookie of the Week pick, Samis ranked second in the CAA in scoring and was seventh in the CAA in rebounding (8.1rpg). She led the Seahawks in scoring in 19 of 26 games in which she played with six double-doubles. She notched double figures in 22 of her final 23 games and her 16.5ppg scoring average is the third highest total for any freshman in UNCW history. She was especially effective in conference play averaging a league-high 17.2ppg vs. CAA foes.

William & Mary sophomore guard Kyle DeHaven (Herndon, Va./ Herndon) was named the CAA's Defensive Player of the Year. A 5-9 guard, DeHaven is just the second sophomore to win the award and topped the conference in steals (3.7spg). W&M's defense forced 11.4 steals per game which ranked 34th in the country. DeHaven posted a CAA single-game high of nine steals vs. UNCW and also had eight thefts in another game vs. the Seahawks earlier in the year. She ranks 7th nationally in steals and is also tied for the league lead in assists (4.4apg).

Towson University senior swing player Kelli Talbot (Holmdel, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) received the prestigious Dean Ehlers Leadership Award. The Ehlers Award is presented annually to the women's basketball student-athlete who "embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship through her academic and athletic achievement." Despite being picked tenth in the pre-season, Talbot helped lead the Tigers to a fifth place finish in the CAA standings while averaging 11.6 points per game.

2005 CAA Women's Basketball Award Winners