Pickunka & Gonzalez Receive NEWBA Weekly Awards

Katelyn Pickunka
Smith
Sophomore • Forward • Westhampton, Mass.

Pickunka, the NEWMAC Co-Offensive & Defensive Athlete of the Week, averaged 21.5 points per game on 78.9% shooting from the field to go along with 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in two Smith wins last week. She recorded 18 points, seven rebounds and one steal against New England College on Wednesday. Pickunka followed that performance up by turning in her first career double-double effort in Saturday's win at Sage. She finished with 25 points, ten rebounds and four blocks while shooting a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor and 11-of-12 from the free throw line. Pickunka, who ranks second in the NEWMAC in scoring, has led Smith (5-0) to its best start since the 2011-12 campaign. 

Pam Gonzalez
Regis
Freshman • Guard • Revere, Mass.

Gonzalez averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 steals and 2.5 assists per game on her way to GNAC Rookie of the Week honors. In Wednesday's victory over Fisher, she led Regis with 18 points and eight rebounds, shooting 7-of-8 from the field, including a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the three-point line. In addition, Gonzalez collected five steals and dished out three assists without committing a turnover. She then produced 11 points, five rebounds, five steals and two assists on Saturday as the Pride defeated WPI.

• Shaelyn Carreiro, UMass Dartmouth (So. | Forward | Fall River, Mass.) - Carreiro, the Little East Player of the Week, averaged 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in a 2-0 week for the Corsairs. She started the week with a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double against Bridgewater State, before producing 18 points and five boards in a road victory at Southern Maine. For the week, Carreiro shot 58.3% from the field.
• Camila Casanueva, Brandeis (Jr. | Guard | Santa Barbara, Calif.) - Casanueva received UAA Player of the Week recognition after averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game in a 1-1 week for the Judges. In Saturday's 81-77 loss to No. 2 Tufts, she netted a career-high 32 points, hitting 11-of-20 from the field, 6-of-8 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the foul line. Casanueva scored 15 of her 32 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of game-tying three-pointers late in regulation. 
• Jenni-Rose DiCecco, Suffolk (Jr. | Guard | Falmouth, Mass.) - DiCecco led Suffolk to a 2-0 week while averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 assists, 3.5 steals and 3.5 rebounds per game. She shot 55.6% from the field and 50% from three-point distance in the two wins. DiCecco scored 18 points to go with six rebounds, three steals and three assists on Wednesday at Salve Regina. She then poured in 27 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-7 from long range, in Saturday's win over Plymouth State. DiCecco also compiled eight assists and four steals in the victory over the Panthers. 
• Maddie Hasson, Bowdoin (Sr. | Forward | South Portland, Maine) - In three wins last week for the Polar Bears, Hasson averaged 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 3.0 assists while shooting 78.3% (18-23) from the field. She was named the Bridgewater State Tip-Off Tournament MVP after scoring 23 points on 9-10 shooting from the field with nine rebounds, five steals and four assists in the final on Saturday against the host Bears. She fell just short of a double-double earlier in the week with 16 points, nine boards, five steals and four assists in Tuesday's triumph at Southern Maine. 
• Stevie Orton, Eastern Nazarene (So. | Guard | Gilford, N.H.) - Orton turned in a big performance in Eastern Nazarene's win at Anna Maria on Saturday. She posted her second double-double of the season with 32 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two steals. Orton shot 11-of-18 from the floor and 9-of-12 from the free throw line. Orton was named the NECC Player of the Week.
• Lauren Plissey, Maine Maritime (So. | Forward | Hermon, Maine) - Plissey helped lead the Mariners to a 3-0 week while averaging 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.0 steals per game. She opened the week with 15 points, four boards and two assists in a five-point win over Colby on Tuesday. She then registered a double-double with 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds and five blocks on Friday as Maine Maritime edged Gordon, 52-50. In the final game of the week on Saturday, Plissey totaled 12 points, eight rebounds, five steals and two blocks in a 69-64 win over New England College.
• Emily Velozo, Framingham State (Sr. | Guard | Tewksbury, Mass.) - Velozo was impressive in Framingham State's only game last week, scoring 33 points in just three quarters of action as the Rams downed Maine Fort Kent 89-67 on Saturday. Velozo, who shot 8-of-12 from the field, 5-of-7 from three-point range, and 12-of-12 from the free throw line, poured in 18 points over the opening ten minutes of play. She also finished with six rebounds and two blocks in the win.