Landmark Releases 2015-16 Women's Basketball Awards
Landmark Releases 2015-16 Women's Basketball Awards
TOWSON, Md. – University of Scranton junior forward Sarah Payonk has been chosen by the conference coaches as the 2016 Landmark Player of the Year. It is the second straight year a Scranton player has received the honor. Payonk led the Royals to a perfect 27-0 record this season, which included an unblemished 16-0 mark in the conference. The junior helped Scranton earn its fourth conference title this past weekend with a 78-57 rout against Catholic.
Moravian’s Alexis Wright was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, while Scranton’s Bridgette Mann and first-year head coach Trevor Woodruff were named Rookie and Coach of the Year.
Payonk was a force on the hardwood this season, scoring double-figures in 20 of 27 games for the Royals. The 2014 Rookie of the Year, and this year’s tournament Most Valuable Player, has been named to the Landmark All-Conference Second Team in each of the last two years, and a First Team nod this season. The junior is averaging 12.4 points per game and 10.2 rebounds heading into this weekend’s NCAA Tournament action. Her 12.4 points was a career-high, and second among her teammates in scoring. She also shot 47.0 percent from the floor (125-261).
Wright was one of three players in the conference to average double-digit rebounds, pulling down 11.7 boards per game. She blocked a league-high 71 shots and ranked seventh in points per game, contributing 13.3. The forward pulled off 16 double-doubles this season, and grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 18 of her 25 contests. The 2011-12 Rookie of the Year also received First-Team All-Landmark accolades in 2013 and 2014. On November 24, Wright set the school record in career rebounds with 1,016. She became just the second player in Greyhound history to reach 1,000 career rebounds.
Joining Payonk and Wright on the First Team are Scranton’s Alexix Roman, Elizabethtown’s Emily Martin, Susquehanna’s Angie Schedler, and Catholic’s Michelle DeSantis.
Roman led the conference in points per game (18.6), and averaged 7.3 rebounds. Martin, a three-time Landmark Athlete of the Week, finished the season fifth in points per game (16.0), second in rebounds (11.0), and blocks per game (1.8). Schedler averaged 16.8 points to lead Susquehanna, and finish third in the conference scoring parade.
DeSantis ranked second on the Cardinal squad, averaging 11.4 points per game, while connecting on 113-of-247 shots for 45.7 percent.
Averaging 28.6 minutes over 27 games this season, freshman Mann proved why she earned Rookie of the Year honors. The newcomer averaged 10.9 points, and dished out 3.6 assists per game. She ranked second in 3-point field goal percentage (37.5) and fourth in field goal percentage, shooting 47.5 (112-236) from the floor.
Woodruff inherited a squad consisting of five upperclassmen, and nine underclassmen. He was successful at blending experience and youth into a cohesive unit, which led the Lady Royals to their undefeated season.
The 2015-16 Landmark Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams:
| First Team |
|
|
|
|
|
Second Team |
|
|
|
|
Michelle DeSantis %
|
Catholic |
Jr. |
G |
Trumbull, Conn.
|
|
Melissa Errico |
Catholic |
Jr.
|
F
|
Harrington Park, N.J. |
| Emily Martin |
Elizabethtown |
Jr.
|
C
|
Lancaster, Pa |
|
Rachel Forjan
|
Elizabethtown
|
Sr. |
G
|
York, Pa.
|
| Sarah Payonk |
Scranton |
Jr.
|
F
|
Schwenksville, Pa.
|
|
Nikki Komara %
|
Susquehanna |
Jr.
|
G
|
Shamokin, Pa. |
| Alexix Roman |
Scranton |
Jr.
|
F
|
Hawley, Pa. |
|
Alesha Marcks %
|
Moravian |
Sr.
|
G/F
|
Northampton, Pa. |
Angie Schedler
|
Susquehanna |
So.
|
G
|
Alexandria, Va. |
|
Camille McPherson |
Moravian |
Jr.
|
F
|
West Orange, N.J. |
Alexis Wright ^%
|
Moravian |
Sr. |
F
|
Shillington, Pa. |
|
Courtney Stephens |
Drew |
Sr.
|
G/F
|
Pikesville, Md. |
% 2014-15 First Team All-Landmark
* 2013-14 First Team All-Landmark
^ 2012-13 First Team All-Landmark