Game to be held on Saturday, March 25 at Mount Holyoke College
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (March 17, 2017) – The New England Women’s Basketball Association (NEWBA) has announced the selections for the 2017 NEWBA Senior All-Star Classic, which will be held on Saturday, March 25 at Mount Holyoke College’s Mildred S. Howard Gymnasium at 2 p.m.
Nominations for the NEWBA Senior All-Star Classic were submitted by both coaches and sports information directors in the region, and selections were made based on a vote of the coaches. The 23 participants, and information on each player can be found below.
Home Team • Light Uniforms
Stephanie D’Annolfo • Keene State (Guard/Forward, Tyngsborough, Mass.)
D’Annolfo earned a spot on the D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region team this season while also being named LEC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. The defensive stalwart started all 24 of the games that she appeared in, averaging 12.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals per contest.
Emily Dobson • Western Connecticut State (Guard, Westerly, R.I.)
Dobson landed on the All-LEC second team after starting 20 of the 25 games that she appeared in for the Colonials this season and averaging 10.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. The Westerly, R.I. native, who shot 44.1% from the field, scored in double-figures 14 times with her season-high of 20 coming in Western Connecticut’s LEC Quarterfinal victory over Plymouth State.
Chandler Guerrette • Husson (Guard, Presque Isle, Maine)
Guerrette averaged 14.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for the Eagles en route to garnering NAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year accolades. The senior led Husson to its second straight NAC crown and first ever NCAA Tournament victory in 2016-17.
Paris Hodges • Brandeis (Guard, Southampton, N.Y.)
Hodges was recognized as an All-UAA honorable mention performer for the third time in her career this season after averaging 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, all career-highs. She was the team's leading scorer seven times, top rebounder seven times and led the team in assists on eight occasions.
Kayla Hotaling • MCLA (Forward, Ravena, N.Y.)
Hotaling averaged just under a double-double with 13.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in 2016-17 on her way to All-MASCAC first team accolades. She scored in double figures in 20 of 26 games and became the program’s seventh 1,000-point scorer this season, finishing her career with 1,060 points and 848 rebounds.
Maria Jackson • Brandeis (Forward, Rochester, N.Y.)
Jackson earned a selection on the D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region team and was also an All-UAA first team pick after averaging 13.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game this season. She led the Judges in scoring in 15 of the team's 25 games and in rebounding 16 times while posting a UAA-best five double-doubles.
Heather LeBlanc • Norwich (Forward, Sanford, Maine)
LeBlanc ranked second in the GNAC in both scoring (17.9 PPG) and shooting percentage (58.8%) in 2016-17, while her 10.3 rebounds per game were good for third in the conference. The Sanford, Maine native garnered All-GNAC first team accolades after being named to the third team last season.
Jennie Lindland • Bridgewater State (Forward, Edgartown, Mass.)
Lindland garnered All-MASCAC second team recognition after averaging 10.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.4 assists per game. In her final collegiate contest, Lindland set the Bridgewater State single-game scoring record with 38 points in a MASCAC semifinal round setback to eventual tournament champion Westfield State.
Rachel McCarron • UMass Dartmouth (Guard/Forward, Groton, Mass.)
McCarron averaged 10.6 points per game on 45.8% shooting for a UMass Dartmouth squad that enjoyed its best season in program history, as the Corsairs advanced to the sectional finals of the NCAA Tournament. She also contributed 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 85.2% from the free throw line.
Carlee Putnam • St. Joseph (Conn.) (Guard, Niantic, Conn.)
Putnam started all 25 contests for the Blue Jays this season, averaging 15.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. She scored in double figures 19 times, netting a season-high 28 points on three separate occasions.
Alycia Rackliffe • Framingham State (Center, Feeding Hills, Mass.)
Rackliffe was an ECAC DIII All-New England and All-MASCAC first team selection after averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for the Rams. The Feeding Hills, Mass. native helped lead Framingham State to a program record 21 victories and an appearance in the MASCAC title game.
Jill Valley • Westfield State (Guard, Orange, Mass.)
One of the most prolific scorers in the nation during the 2016-17 season, Valley earned NEWBA All-Region first team accolades after landing on the second team as a junior last winter. Valley, who was named MASCAC Player of the Year for the second straight year, led the conference in both points per game (22.5), steals per game (4.6) and free throw percentage (81%).
Head Coach – Kissy Walker, Husson University
D'Annolfo |
Dobson |
Guerrette |
Hodges |
Hotaling |
Jackson |
LeBlanc |
Lindland |
McCarron |
Putnam |
Rackliffe |
Valley |
Away Team • Dark Uniforms
Ava Adamopoulos • Springfield College (Center, Ludlow, Mass.)
Adamopoulos was an All-NEWMAC first team performer for the Pride this season after averaging 14.9 points per game on 50.4% shooting to go with 8.3 rebounds per game over 29 contests. Also an ECAC Division III New England All-Star, Adamopoulos contributed on the defensive end of the floor with 1.0 block per game.
Emily Anderson • Western New England (Forward, Rocky Hill, Conn.)
Anderson led the CCC in scoring (16.3 PPG) and free throw shooting (83.8%) during the regular season on her way to All-Conference first team accolades. The Rocky Hill, Conn. native, who also averaged 6.5 rebounds (10th in CCC) and 1.12 assists per game, posted double-digit scoring efforts in all but two of Western New England’s 28 contests.
Alicia Brown • University of New England (Forward, Greenland, N.H.)
Brown, a 2016-17 All-CCC first team selection, averaged 15.0 points per game on 48% shooting and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Nor’easters, who earned their fifth consecutive conference title. The senior, who is a two-time NEWBA All-Region first team selection, was also recognized as a D3hoops.com All-Northeast Region third team honoree this season.
Allie Coppola • Bates (Forward, Tarrytown, N.Y.)
A three-year captain at Bates, Coppola was a second team All-NESCAC selection this season, averaging career-highs with 13.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Coppola finished her career as the Bobcats’ all-time rebounding leader with 942 boards.
Priscilla Dunphy • Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Guard, Barrington, R.I.)
An All-NEWMAC second team selection this season, Dunphy was the top three-point shooter in the conference, connecting from beyond the arc at a 41.9% clip. The Barrington, R.I. native averaged 11.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game during her senior campaign while shooting 89.1% from the free throw line.
Liana Ilutzi • MIT (Guard, East Hanover, N.J.)
Illutzi contributed 8.4 points, 4.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game for an MIT squad that finished 20-6 and 13-3 in NEWMAC play this season. She started all 26 games for the Engineers, posting ten double-figure scoring efforts.
Giovanna Pickering • Babson College (Guard, Hull, Mass.)
Pickering, the 2016-17 NEWBA and NEWMAC Player of the Year, averaged career-highs across the board with 18.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.4 steals per game for the Beavers, who claimed the NEWMAC crown and reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament. A three-time All-Conference first team selection, Pickering topped the 20-point mark 12 times in 2016-17.
Bridget Quilty • Roger Williams (Center, Duxbury, Mass.)
Quilty, the 2016-17 CCC Player and Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 15.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Hawks, who earned the No. 2 seed in the CCC Tournament. The senior ranked second in the CCC with 2.5 blocks per game while also averaging one steal per contest.
Taylor Russell • Babson (Guard, Braintree, Mass.)
Russell helped Babson capture the NEWMAC title and make a run to the third round of the NCAA Tournament, averaging 12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. The All-NEWMAC second team selection drained a team-high 32 three-pointers and reached double figures on 22 occasions this winter.
Jessica Shepherd • Mitchell (Guard, West Hartford, Conn.)
Shepherd averaged 13.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game for Mitchell in 2016-17, earning All-NECC third team accolades for her efforts. Shepherd completed her four-year career with 1,040 points and became the program’s all-time three-point field goal leader this season, finishing with 174 triples in 95 contests.
Paige Young • Western New England (Forward, Berlin, Conn.)
After missing significant portions of her sophomore and junior seasons with injuries, Young was an All-CCC third team performer in 2016-17. She averaged 9.3 points and a CCC-leading 9.0 rebounds per game, while posting seven double-double efforts in 28 games.
Head Coach – Anthony Ewing, University of New England
Adamopoulos |
Anderson |
Brown |
Coppola |
Dunphy |
Ilutzi |
Pickering |
Quilty |
Russell |
Shepherd |
Young |
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