JMU's Gwathmey Headlines WBB Postseason Awards

3/8/2016 7:30:02 PM

Kelly McCarthy

RICHMOND, Va. (March 8, 2016) – James Madison University guard Jazmon Gwathmey was the unanimous choice as the 2015-16 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, headlining the conference’s postseason awards. James Madison Head Coach Kenny Brooks earned his second consecutive CAA Coach of the Year award while the Dukes’ Kayla Cooper-Williams picked up CAA Rookie of the Year honors. College of Charleston junior Bre Bolden was selected as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season in voting by the league’s head coaches.

Gwathmey had an impressive final season campaign as a Duke, leading the league and ranking in the top-20 nationally in scoring with 20.9 points per game. She had an 18-game double-digit scoring streak, during which she posted at least 20 points 13 times. Gwathmey, who earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team, is also fifth in free throw percentage (.801), fifth in blocks (1.4), seventh in three-pointers per game (2.0) and among the among the top-15 in rebounding (6.0/g), field goal percentage (.406). Gwathmey is the CAA’s active career leader in: scoring (1,479pts), field goals made (548), rebounding (714), blocks (166), and games played (132). The CAA Preseason Player of the Year earned player of the week honors five times this season.

Cooper-Williams, who also earned spots on the CAA All-Rookie and All-Defensive Teams, was named the CAA Rookie of the Week four times this season. She led the CAA in blocks with 63 and was fourth in the conference in rebounding (8.1). She also added 5.8 points per game. She was named CAA Rookie of the Week three times.

Bolden, who also made the All-CAA Second Team, used her speed and quickness to cause havoc for opponents. She came away with a CAA-best 84 steals and her average of 3.0 per game ranked her in top-20 nationally. She had at least one steal in all but two games this season. In addition, she averaged 7.0 rebounds per game to finish in the top-10 in the CAA and contributed offensively averaging 14.0 points per game, good for fifth in the league. She becomes the fifth player in CAA history to be named the league’s top defender in multiple seasons.

Brooks guided the Dukes to their fourth CAA regular-season championship in the last six years and their 11th consecutive 20-win season. Under his guidance, the Dukes won their last 17 games of the season to finish the regular season at 24-5 overall and 17-1 in league play. JMU was the CAA’s top rebounding and scoring team and finished the regular season ranked among top-25 nationally in 11 statistical team categories. This is the fourth CAA Coach of the Year award bestowed on Brooks.

Joining Gwathmey on the All-CAA First Team was senior JMU teammate Angela Mickens, Drexel forward Sarah Curran, Elon guard Shay Burnett and Northeastern forward Samantha DeFreese.

Mickens continued to be one of the top point guards in the CAA. She ranked in the top-15 nationally in total assists (200) and assists per game (6.9). She also added 11.0 points and 1.8 steals per game. Curran earned her second-straight First Team selection after averaging 15.4 points per game and leading the CAA in three-point shooting (.447) in 29 games. Burnett tied for the league lead in double-doubles (9) this season, averaging 13.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the Phoenix. DeFreese put together a solid senior season, averaging 14.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game and finishing second in field goal percentage (.537).

The All-CAA Second Team is comprised of Bolden, Hofstra sophomore forward Ashunae Durant (11.4ppg/9.3rpg), Delaware senior guard Courtni Green (12.3ppg), William & Mary junior forward Alexandra Masaquel (13.7ppg/7.4rpg), and Drexel senior guard/forward Rachel Pearson (11.3 ppg).

The All-CAA Third Team features Towson transfer Raven Bankston (15.4ppg/2.4 steal/g), Delaware junior guard Erika Brown (11.4ppg), Hofstra junior guard Kelly Loftus (13.0ppg/2.1 threes/g) and William & Mary junior guard Marlena Tremba (13.4 ppg/2.1 threes/g).

The 2016 CAA Women's Basketball Championship is set for March 9-12 at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md. Tickets are on sale now through TicketMaster. The first round and the quarterfinal rounds will air exclusively on CAA.tv while Friday’s semifinals and Saturday’s championship game will air live on Comcast SportsNet. Fans can join the social media conversation by using the official CAA Basketball hashtag, #CAAHoops, on both Instagram and Twitter. Fans can also follow live statistics of each contest by visiting CAAStats.com. For more information, visit CAASports.com/wbbchampionship.

2015-16 CAA Women’s Basketball Postseason Honors

2015-16 All-CAA First Team

Shay Burnett

Elon

So.

5-9

Graham, N.C./Southern Alamance

Sarah Curran

Drexel

Jr.

5-11

Media, Pa./Archbishop Carroll

Samantha DeFreese

Northeastern

Sr.

6-0

Bergenfield, N.J./Berkshire School

Jazmon Gwathmey

James Madison

R-Sr.

6-2

Bealeton, Va./Liberty

Angela Mickens

James Madison

Sr.

5-7

Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee

2015-16 All-CAA Second Team

Bre Bolden

College of Charleston

Jr.

5-11

Edgewater, Md./South River

Ashunae Durant

Hofstra

So.

5-10

Newark, N.J./Bloomfield Tech

Courtni Green

Delaware

Sr.

5-7

Winchester, Va./Millbrook

Alexandra Masaquel

William & Mary

Jr.

5-10

Honolulu, Hawaii/'Iolani School

Rachel Pearson

Drexel

Sr.

G/F

5-11

West Chester, Pa./Archbishop Carroll

2015-16 All-CAA Third Team

Raven Bankston

Towson

Jr.

5-10

Detroit, Mich./John Glenn (Delaware St.)

Erika Brown

Delaware

Jr.

5-7

Paterson, N.J./John F. Kennedy

Shatia Cole

UNCW

R-Sr.

5-6

Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach (Coastal Carolina)

Kelly Loftus

Hofstra

Jr.

5-10

Alexandria, Va./Mount Vernon

Marlena Tremba

William & Mary

Jr.

5-9

Vienna, Va./Paul VI

2015-16 CAA All-Rookie Team

Bianca Boggs

William & Mary

Fr.

5-8

Waldorf, Md./St. Mary's Ryken

Kayla Cooper-Williams

James Madison

Fr.

6-3

Dumfries, Va./C.D. Hylton

Nicole Enabosi

Delaware

Fr.

6-0

Gaithersburg, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel

Jess Genco

Northeastern

Fr.

5-5

Scranton, Pa./Scranton Prep

Gabby Giacone

Northeastern

Fr.

6-0

Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central

2015-16 CAA All-Defensive Team

Bre Bolden

College of Charleston

Jr.

5-11

Edgewater, Md./South River

Kayla Cooper-Williams

James Madison

Fr.

6-3

Dumfries, Va./C.D. Hylton

Darius Faulk

Hofstra

Sr.

5-8

Hempstead, N.Y./Nazareth (West Virginia)

Jazmon Gwathmey

James Madison

R-Sr.

6-2

Bealeton, Va./Liberty

Alexandra Masaquel

William & Mary

Jr.

5-10

Honolulu, Hawaii/'Iolani School

CAA Player of the Year: Jazmon Gwathmey, James Madison

CAA Rookie of the Year: Kayla Cooper-Williams, James Madison

CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Bre Bolden, College of Charleston

CAA Coach of the Year: Kenny Brooks, James Madison

Dean Ehlers Leadership Award: Meghan Creighton, Drexel

2015-16 CAA Women's Basketball All-Academic Team

Rebekah Banks

UNCW

So.

6-1

Durham, N.C.

Economics & Business Admin

Lauren Brown

Elon

Jr.

5-9

Alpharetta, Ga.

Exercise Science

Autumn Carter

Elon

Sr.

6-5

Reidsville, N.C.

Elementary Education

Meghan Creighton

Drexel

R-Jr.

5-7

West Chester, Pa.

Finance

Jenna Green

William & Mary

So.

5-7

Clifton, Va.

Business

Hannah Jardine

Delaware

Jr.

6-1

St. John's, Newfoundland

Mechanical Engineering

Loren Lassiter

Northeastern

So.

5-11

Castro Valley, Calif.

Biology

Kelsi Lidge

Drexel

So.

5-8

Aurora, Colo.

Elementary Education

Jackie Luna-Castro

College of Charleston

R-Sr.

6-2

Boise, Idaho

Communications

Alexandra Masaquel

William & Mary

Jr.

5-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

Kinesiology & Health Sciences

Rachel Pearson

Drexel

Sr.

G/F

5-11

West Chester, Pa.

Marketing

Amber Reeves

UNCW

Jr.

5-9

Marietta, Ga.

Biology

Francesca Sally

Northeastern

Jr.

6-2

Denver, Colo.

Electrical Engineering

Brianna Taylor

Towson

Gr.

5-4

Columbia, Md.

Professional Studies

Marlena Tremba

William & Mary

Jr.

5-9

Vienna, Va.

Finance