Landmark Releases 2014-15 Women's Basketball Awards

3/1/2015 12:00:00 AM

TOWSON, Md. — Meredith Mesaris dominated the Landmark Conference all season, averaging 20.5 points per game, and the Scranton forward was honored today by the coaches as the Landmark Player of the Year for 2014-15.

Moravian’s Alexis Wright (Defensive Player of the Year), Susquehanna’s Angie Schedler (Rookie of the Year) and Susquehanna’s Jim Reed (Coach of the Year) also took home major awards, while Mesaris and Wright accounted for two of the league’s six First-Team All-Landmark spots.

Mesaris has scored in double figures in 26 of 27 games for the Royals, reaching the 30-point barrier in four contests. She had a particularly dominant five game stretch during the conference season from Jan. 21 – Feb. 7, averaging 26.2 points per game during that span. Mesaris has hit 50.4 percent of her shots from the floor, the third-highest total in the league, and her 86.8 percent field goal percentage (112-129) is tops in the conference. She is the only 2013-14 First-Team All-Landmark performer to earn repeat recognition.

Wright was the only player in the conference to average double-digit rebounds, pulling down 12.0 boards per game. She also blocked a league-high 61 shots and ranked eighth in the conference with 54 steals, all while contributing 15.4 points per game (third in the Landmark) on the offensive end. Wright has 15 double-doubles this season, and she has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 10 consecutive games and 19 of 25 contests overall. The 2011-12 Rookie of the Year also received First-Team All-Landmark accolades as a sophomore back in 2012-13.

Schedler averaged 9.5 points per game for the Crusaders in her debut season, and her 55 made 3-pointers were the third-most in the Landmark. She closed out the year strong, reaching double figures in eight of Susquehanna’s final 11 games.

Her teammate, Nikki Komara moves up to a First-Team All-Landmark spot after debuting as a second-team performer in 2013-14. Komara had a strong all-around year, totaling 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Her 122 assists were second-most in the conference and she also had a league-high 78 steals. Komara shot 45.1 percent from the field, and she ranked third in the conference by hitting 84.8 percent of her attempts from the free throw line.

The Crusaders ultimately closed out the year with a 10-6 Landmark record, adding four wins to their total from the year before and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2009-10. The coaches recognized the accomplishment by awarding Reed and his assistants with Coaching Staff of the Year accolades. Susquehanna finished 17-9 overall after going 12-12 in the previous season. Reed was previously recognized by the conference after the 2008-09 campaign.

Michelle DeSantis (Catholic), Lindsay Fluehr (Scranton) and Alesha Marcks (Moravian) locked up the remaining three First-Team All-Landmark spots.

DeSantis was the top performer on a Cardinal squad which went 11-5 in Landmark play and ultimately clinched a third conference title in four seasons. Her 15.0 points per game are fifth-highest in the conference, and she ranks as the most efficient 3-point shooter in the league at 46.2 percent. DeSantis is shooting 52.1 percent from the field overall (second in the Landmark) and she makes 81.8 percent of her free throw attempts.

Fluehr has dished out 45 more assists than anyone else in the conference, averaging 6.2 assists per game overall for the Royals. Her 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio also ranks as the highest in the conference. Fluehr had eight or more assists in nine different games, and she additionally contributed 6.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest. The senior guard reaches the first-team after back-to-back seasons as a second-team performer.

Marcks, the 2012-13 co-Rookie of the Year, earns a spot on the All-Landmark team for the first time. She is second in the league with 16.2 points per game, and she additionally ranks in the top-five in free throws made (150, first), free throw percentage (86.7, second), rebounds per game (7.9, fifth) and blocks (36, fourth). Marcks has scored in double figures in 14 straight games as the Greyhounds enter ECAC tournament play, with five double-doubles during that stretch.

A total of six schools were represented among the 12 first and second-team All-Landmark spots.


Player of the Year	Defensive Player of the Year	Rookie of the Year	Coach of the Year
Meredith Mesaris, Scranton	Alexis Wright, Moravian	Angie Schedler, Susquehanna	Jim Reed, Susquehanna

The 2014-15 Landmark Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams:

First Team					Second Team
Michelle DeSantis	Catholic	So.	G	Trumbull, Conn.	Taylor Alwine	Elizabethtown	Sr.	F	Elizabethtown, Pa.
Lindsay Fluehr	Scranton	Sr.	G	Bensalem, Pa.	Rachel Forjan	Elizabethtown	Jr.	G	York, Pa.
Nikki Komara	Susquehanna	So.	G	Shamokin, Pa.	Josephine Migash*	Catholic	Jr.	F	Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Alesha Marcks	Moravian	Jr.	F	Northampton, Pa.	Sarah Payonk	Scranton	So.	F	Schwenksville, Pa.
Meredith Mesaris*	Scranton	Sr.	F	Fairfax, Va.	Courtney Stephens	Drew	Jr.	F	Pikesville, Md.
Alexis Wright^	Moravian	Sr.	F	Shillington, Pa.	Jonaida Williams	Susquehanna	Sr.	G	Williamsport, Pa.

* 2013-14 First Team All-Landmark
^ 2012-13 First Team All-Landmark