Stony Brook, Gonzalez, Langford Headline 2023-24 CAA Women’s Basketball Year-End Honors
Hunter Peters
RICHMOND, Va. (March 12, 2024) – Stony Brook headlined the 2023-24 CAA Women’s Basketball year-end honors as three programs earned their first-ever major awards in a vote of the league’s 14 head coaches.
Stony Brook graduate guard
Gigi Gonzalez was named CAA Player of the Year, and her coach,
Ashley Langford, earned CAA Coach of the Year honors, becoming the first Seawolves to collect CAA major awards. Additionally, Towson redshirt senior
Kylie Kornegay-Lucas repeated as CAA Defensive Player of the Year, and Charleston freshman guard
Taryn Barbot garnered CAA Rookie of the Year accolades. Finally, Monmouth senior guard
Jania Hall was voted Sixth Player of the Year, and Campbell teammates graduate guard
Shy Tuelle and senior forward
Brittany Staves received the respective honors of CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award, marking the first major award winners for the Camels and Hawks.
Gonzalez established herself as one of the best playmakers in the CAA to make history for the Seawolves. The graduate guard led the conference in scoring, averaging 15.9 points per game, and ranked second in the league with 5.0 assists per contest. Gonzalez reached double figures in 26 games this season, surpassing 20 points on six occasions, including a career-high 30 points on January 12. In addition, she dished out five or more assists 16 times and tallied her second career double-digit assist performance. It marks the second straight season Gonzalez has earned All-CAA accolades, receiving first team recognition after third team honors a year ago.
Langford guided Stony Brook to its first CAA Regular Season title in program history, posting a 16-2 record in league play. Under her direction, the Seawolves went 25-3 overall, recording the second-highest win total in program history, and their .893 winning percentage ranks sixth in the NCAA this season. Furthermore, Stony Brook won 23 games by double-digits, ranking 12th nationally in scoring margin while leading the conference in nine statistical categories.
Barbot becomes the first CAA Rookie of the Year in Charleston program history, producing an impressive freshman campaign. The Floral Park, N.Y. native led all first-year players and ranked fifth in the conference with 14.9 points per game. A six-time CAA Rookie of the Week, Barbot reached double figures in 21 games, eclipsed 20 points six times and scored a season-high 36 points on January 14 – the most by any CAA player this season. In addition, she contributed 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 assists per game during her first collegiate season. However, Barbot not only established herself as a top-tier rookie but earned All-CAA second team recognition.
Kornegay-Lucas won CAA Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season, becoming the sixth player in league history to earn the award multiple times. The redshirt senior guard was the only player in the conference to rank top-10 in steals and blocks per game. Kornegay-Lucas was second with 2.4 steals per game and seventh with 1.2 blocks per contest. Additionally, Kornegay-Lucas ranked second in the CAA with 8.0 rebounds per game, leading the league in defensive rebounding (6.6), while contributing 12.6 points per game on the offensive end, collecting First Team All-CAA honors for the second year in a row.
Hall is a key contributor for the Hawks off the bench and one of the main reasons Monmouth leads the CAA in bench points per game (24.3). The senior guard plays just over 21 minutes per game, contributing 8.7 points per contest as the third-leading scorer for the Hawks. She has reached double figures off the bench in 14 games this season, including nine times in league play. Additionally, Hall averages 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in her reserve minutes.
Tuelle was named CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year for her accomplishments in the classroom and on the court. A two-time graduate from Campbell, Tuelle earned bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Sport Management before obtaining her MBA in May. Academically, Tuelle has been a member of the Big South Presidential Honor Roll and Campbell University Dean’s List four times during her tenure, accumulating a 3.67 GPA during her undergraduate studies before completing her Master’s program with a 3.84 GPA. On the court, Tuelle was Campbell’s second-leading scorer this season, contributing 10.1 points per game while ranking second in the CAA in three-pointers per game (2.6) and third in three-point field goal percentage (.388).
Staves received the Dean Ehlers Award, annually presented to the women’s basketball student-athlete who “embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship in conjunction with her academic and athletic achievement.” Staves completed her B.S. in Kinesiology and is pursuing her MBA, maintaining a 4.0 GPA during her graduate studies. The graduate forward is a three-year team captain for the Camels and a SAAC representative for the women’s basketball program. Her leadership was evident in occupying the role of President for Campbell’s CAA Steering Committee, a group formed to guide the university during its conference realignment. Furthermore, Staves has represented Campbell in several national leadership forums and performed over 150 hours of community service during her time in Buies Creek. On the court, Staves has appeared in all 27 games for the Camels, averaging 8.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
Gonzalez and Kornegay-Lucas were joined on the All-CAA first team by Charleston fifth-year guard
Jenna Annecchiarico, North Carolina A&T junior guard
Jordyn Dorsey, and William & Mary graduate forward
Nylah Young.
The All-CAA second team was comprised of Barbot, Towson junior guard
Patricia Anumgba, Northeastern senior guard
Derin Erdogan and Stony Brook teammates graduate center
Khari Clark and junior forward
Sherese Pittman.
The individuals earning Third Team All-CAA honors include Monmouth senior guards
Kaci Donovan and
Ariana Vanderhoop, Campbell senior forward
Christabel Ezumah, Hampton senior guard
Camryn Hill and Charleston fifth-year guard
Jada Logan.
First Team All-CAA
Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Hometown / Highschool |
Jenna Annecchiarico |
Charleston |
Fifth |
G |
Baldwin, N.Y. / Baldwin |
Jordyn Dorsey |
N.C. A&T |
Jr. |
G |
Augusta, Ga. / Cross Creek HS |
Gigi Gonzalez |
Stony Brook |
Gr. |
G |
Miramar, Fla. / Nova |
Kylie Kornegay-Lucas |
Towson |
R-Sr. |
G |
Camden, Del. / New Hope Academy |
Nylah Young |
William & Mary |
Gr. |
F |
Suffolk, Va. / Kings Fork |
Second Team All-CAA
Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Hometown / Highschool |
Patricia Anumgba |
Towson |
Jr. |
G |
Silver Spring, Md. / Paint Branch |
Taryn Barbot |
Charleston |
Fr. |
G |
Floral Park, N.Y. / St. Mary |
Khari Clark |
Stony Brook |
Gr. |
C |
Denver, Colo. / Thomas Jefferson |
Derin Erdogan |
Northeastern |
Sr. |
G |
Istanbul, Turkey / Istanbul Universitesi SK |
Sherese Pittman |
Stony Brook |
Jr. |
F |
Richmond, Va. / The Steward School |
Third Team All-CAA
Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Hometown / Highschool |
Kaci Donovan |
Monmouth |
Sr. |
G |
Owego, N.Y. / Owego Free Academy |
Christabel Ezumah |
Campbell |
Sr. |
F |
Sugar Hill, Ga. / Lanier HS |
Camryn Hill |
Hampton |
Sr. |
G |
Dallas, Texas / South Grand Prairie High |
Jada Logan |
Charleston |
Fifth |
G |
Rutherfordton, N.C. / R-S Central |
Ariana Vanderhoop |
Monmouth |
Sr. |
G |
Boston, Mass. / Cathedral HS |
CAA Player of the Year: Gigi Gonzalez, Stony Brook
CAA Coach of the Year: Ashley Langford, Stony Brook
CAA Rookie of the Year: Taryn Barbot, Charleston
CAA Defensive Player of the Year: Kylie Kornegay-Lucas, Towson
CAA Sixth Player of the Year: Jania Hall, Monmouth
CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Shy Tuelle, Campbell
Dean Ehlers Leadership Award: Brittany Staves, Campbell
CAA All-Defensive Team
Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Hometown / Highschool |
Jenna Annecchiarico |
Charleston |
Fifth |
G |
Baldwin, N.Y. / Baldwin |
Maleia Bracone |
N.C. A&T |
Sr. |
G |
Anderson, S.C. / T.L. Hanna HS |
Christabel Ezumah |
Campbell |
Sr. |
F |
Sugar Hill, Ga. / Lanier HS |
Kylie Kornegay-Lucas |
Towson |
R-Sr. |
G |
Camden, Del. / New Hope Academy |
Belle Kranbuhl |
Monmouth |
Sr. |
F |
Boonville, N.Y. / Adirondack Central |
CAA All-Rookie Team
Name |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
Hometown / Highschool |
Taryn Barbot |
Charleston |
Fr. |
G |
Floral Park, N.Y. / St. Mary |
Ande’a Cherisier |
Delaware |
Fr. |
C |
Baltimore, Md. / Saint Frances Academy |
Cassidy Geddes |
William & Mary |
Fr. |
G |
Hickory, N.C. / Newton-Conover |
Taylor Henderson |
UNCW |
R-Fr. |
G |
Charlotte, N.C. / Winston Salem Christian |
Paris Locke |
N.C. A&T |
Fr. |
F |
Baltimore, Md. / McDonough |
Maraja Pass |
Elon |
Fr. |
G |
Shelby, N.C. / Winston Salem Christian |
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