RICHMOND, Va. (October 19, 2017) – James Madison University was selected to capture the 2018 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Women’s Basketball Championship while Elon University senior
Shay Burnett was selected as the CAA Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league’s 10 head coaches.
It was close voting at the top with the Dukes as the overall favorite with 78 points, including six first-place votes while Elon, the defending champions, was second with 74 points, including three first-place votes. College of William & Mary was third with 58 points while Drexel University was fourth with 51 points. It was also close among the next three teams as Delaware (48) was picked fifth, Northeastern (47) was sixth and Hofstra University (43) was seventh. Towson University and UNCW were tied for eighth with 19 points apiece while College of Charleston (13) rounded out the 10 teams.
James Madison and second-year head coach
Sean O’Regan, welcomes back four starters from last year’s 26-9 squad. The last two CAA Rookies of the Year,
Kayla Cooper-Williams and
Kamiah Smalls, garnered Preseason All-CAA accolades. Smalls shined for the Dukes last season, posting 9.0ppg and 5.5rpg. Cooper-Williams, who missed all of 2016-17 with an injury, registered 5.8ppg, 8.3rpg and 70 blocks during her rookie campaign.
Elon went 27-7 overall and 16-2 in conference play under Head Coach
Charlotte Smith and captured its first-ever CAA Championship title. The Phoenix returns two starters from last season, led by Burnett, who averaged 12.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game points en route to All-CAA First Team honors for the second consecutive season. Preseason All-CAA selection
Malaya Johnson returns to her starting role in the frontcourt where she averaged 9.1ppg and 6.5rpg while shooting 54.4 percent from the field.
William & Mary had a record-breaking 2016-17 campaign in which the Tribe went 20-11 overall, tying the program record for wins, and earning their first trip to the CAA Championship semifinals since 2001. Preseason All-CAA selection
Abby Rendle returns to the middle for the Tribe after swatting away 101 shots and averaging 9.3ppg and 5.1rpg last season.
Drexel went 22-11 overall under Head Coach
Denise Dillon last season and made its seventh WNIT appearance in the last eight years. Preseason All-CAA honorable mention
Bailey Greenberg is one of two starters to return as she looks to build off a strong rookie campaign in which she averaged 7.7ppg. Joining Greenberg will senior forward
Kelsi Lidge, who averaged 5.4ppg and 4.6rpg with 57 steals one year ago.
The Preseason All-CAA First Team was comprised of: Elon’s Burnett, JMU’s Small, Hofstra senior forward
Ashunae Durant (16.0ppg, 10.6rpg), Delaware junior center
Nicole Enabosi (13.7ppg, 10.0rpg), and Northeastern senior guard
Claudia Ortiz (13.0ppg, 4.6rpg).
Selected to the Preseason All-CAA Second Team were: JMU’s Cooper-Williams, Elon’s Johnson, William & Mary’s Rendle, College of Charleston redshirt senior forward
Tanisha Brown (12.6ppg, 7.6rpg), and Northeastern junior guard
Jess Genco (9.8ppg, 4.2rpg).
Receiving honorable mention were: Drexel’s Greenberg, Towson redshirt senior guard
Raine Bankston (7.1ppg, 60 steals), Hofstra senior guard
Aleana Leon (11.4ppg, 4.3 rpg), UNCW senior guard
Madison Raque (10.7ppg) and James Madison junior guard
Aneah Young (3.5ppg, 3.5rpg).
Conference play tips-off on December 29 and concludes on March 3. All 10 teams head to the
2018 CAA Women’s Basketball Championship, March 7-10, at the Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia, Pa.
| 2017-18 CAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS |
| First Team |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown/High School |
| Shay Burnett, Elon* |
Sr. |
G |
5-9 |
Graham, N.C./Southern Alamance |
| Ashunae Durant, Hofstra^ |
Sr. |
F |
5-10 |
Newark, N.J./Bloomfield Tech |
| Nicole Enabosi, Delaware*$ |
Jr. |
F |
6-0 |
Gaithersburg, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel |
| Claudia Ortiz, Northeastern# |
Sr. |
G |
5-7 |
Carolina, Puerto Rico |
| Kamiah Smalls, James Madison% |
So. |
G |
5-10 |
Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann Goretti |
|
|
|
|
|
| Second Team |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown/High School |
| Tanisha Brown, CofC |
R-Sr. |
F |
5-11 |
Myrtle Beach, S.C./Myrtle Beach |
| Kayla Cooper-Williams, JMU& |
R-So. |
C |
6-2 |
Dumfries, Va./C.D. Hylton |
| Jess Genco, Northeastern |
Jr. |
G |
5-5 |
Scranton, Pa./Scranton Prep |
| Malaya Johnson, Elon |
Sr. |
C |
6-3 |
Mt. Airy, N.C./North Surry |
| Abby Rendle, William & Mary$ |
Sr. |
C |
6-4 |
Reston, Va./South Lakes |
% 2016-17 CAA Rookie of the Year & 2015-16 CAA Rookie of the Year, missed 2016-17 due to injury
*1st Team All-CAA in 2016-17 ^ 2nd Team All-CAA in 2016-17 #3rd Team All-CAA in 2016-17
$ CAA All-Defensive Team in 2016-17
|
Honorable Mention: Raine Bankston, R-Sr., G, Towson; Bailey Greenberg, So., G, Drexel; Aleana Leon, Sr., G, Hofstra; Madison Raque, Sr., G, UNCW; Aneah Young, Jr, G, James Madison
|
| CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Shay Burnett, Elon |
|