NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - The Little East Conference office announced its annual women's basketball all-conference teams and major awards winners this afternoon after a vote by each of the eight head coaches. Eastern Connecticut State University senior forward Ashley McFetridge (Canton, Conn.) repeated as Little East Conference Player of the Year, and teammate sophomore guard Jessica Moriarty (East Haven, Conn.) was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year. Rhode Island College freshman guard Stephanie Coro (North Providence, R.I.) was named the Rookie of the Year, while Denise Bierly and Kimberley Rybczyk shared Coach of the Year honors.

The Little East Conference honored 11 student-athletes on the top-two teams, while six and five players comprise the all-defensive and all-rookie teams, respectively.

McFetridge is the fifth student-athlete in conference history to repeat as the top player, joining the three previous awards winners to duplicate the honor. The native of Canton, Conn. is also making her third appearance on the All-Little East, first-team and all-defensive team. McFetridge is ranked among the conference leaders in blocked shots (second, 1.9 bpg), field goal percentage (second, 51 percent), rebounding (third, 8.1 rpg), and scoring (third, 14 ppg). A starter in all 28 games, she reached double figures in the scoring column 19 times, while scoring at least 20 points on five outings. McFetridge showed the ability to elevate her game when playing the top regional teams, posting six of her 10 double-doubles on the campaign against clubs ranked in the final NCAA Division III Northeast Region poll.

Moriarty is the first player to be named the Little East Defensive Player of the Year as the award was voted in this past summer. She helped the Warriors boast the conference's top defense and seventh best in the nation, allowing opponents to score just 49.9 points per game. From her guard position, Moriarty collected at least 10 caroms four times, including a season-high 12 at Keene State College on Jan. 27. She also registered multiple steals in 12 of her 28 appearances, including a season-best four against Plymouth State University.

Coro made an immediate impact in the Anchorwomen lineup, leading Rhode Island College and ranking second the in Little East in scoring with 14.6 points per game. The North Providence, R.I. product also earned a place on the All-Little East, second team and all-rookie team. Coro was second in the conference in free throw percentage (82.1) and three-pointers made (56), while ranking sixth in steals per game (2.0). A starter in 18 of her 26 appearances, she reached double digits in scoring 23 times, including a season-high 24 points against Western Connecticut. Coro is the second player in Rhode Island College history to be named the conference's top rookie.     

Bierly guided Eastern Connecticut to the program's 12th NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament appearance, earning an at-large selection in the field of 63 yesterday morning. The Warriors are ranked 14th in the latest D3Hoops.com poll, and fifth in the final NCAA Division III Northeast Regional poll. Bierly has guided Eastern Connecticut to at least 20 victories in seven of her past nine seasons, including boasting a 25-3 mark on the present campaign. Eastern Connecticut sported a 13-1 record in the Little East Conference-matching the program's most successful season since 2001-and earned the top seed and right to host the annual conference tournament.

Rybczyk is enjoying her most successful season in her tenure on the Western Connecticut sideline, leading the Colonials into the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in the program's history since the 1998 campaign. Under her direction, Western Connecticut has posted its second straight season with at least 20 wins, sporting a 21-5 mark. Each of the Colonials' losses came at the hands of 2009 NCAA Tournament teams. Rybczyk led her team to a 12-2 record in the Little East to earn the second seed in the conference tournament, where they reached the semifinal round.

Joining McFetridge on the top-team are classmate guard Nicky Morey (Columbia, Conn.), Keene State College junior guard Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.), University of Southern Maine sophomore Kaylie DeMillo (Jay, Maine) and teammate senior Stacey Kent (Northwood, N.H.), and Western Connecticut State University senior forward Stacey Roberts (Windham, Conn.).

Plymouth State University sophomore forward Amanda Kania (Manchester, N.H.), University of Southern Maine junior guard Nicole Paradis (Skowhegan, Maine), Western Connecticut State University sophomore guard Karli Spera (Waterford, Conn.), and Keene State College forward Nicole Simmler (Oxford, Mass.), join Coro on the All-Little East, second-team.

The Colonials, Owls, and Warriors each placed two players on the all-defensive team. Keene State College senior guard Michele Boudreau (Readsboro, Vt.), and Western Connecticut teammate's senior guard Alyssa McGhee (Hartford, Conn.) and sophomore center Melissa Teel (Hamden, Conn.) join Degou, McFetridge, and Moriarty.

Coro is joined on the all-rookie team by Plymouth State University freshman forward Alicia Doucet (Manchester, N.H.), University of Massachusetts Boston freshman guard Laniece Langford (Boston, Mass.), Rhode Island College freshman forward Rachel Riley (Coventry, R.I.), and University of Southern Maine freshman forward Kristi Violette (Readfield, Maine).

 

Player of the Year:
Ashley McFetridge, Eastern Connecticut

Defensive Player of the Year:
Jessica Moriarty, Eastern Connecticut

Rookie of the Year:
Stephanie Coro, Rhode Island College

Co-Coaches of the Year:
Denise Bierly, Eastern Connecticut & Kimberley Rybczyk, Western Connecticut