February 26, 2018

SUNYAC Announces Women's Basketball Yearly Honors

CORTLAND, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) announces the 2018 women's basketball top individual and all-conference teams voted on by the conference coaches.

Player of the Year - McKenna Brooks, Geneseo

Brooks upped her game from her sophomore season into her junior year after being named to the 2017 SUNYAC All-Conference second team she earned a spot on the 2018 All-Conference first team. This season the Knights clinched the top seed in the conference going unbeaten, 18-0, in conference play. The Knights currently are on a 40-game conference winning streak, and Brooks has been an essential part of all of it playing in 27 games and starting in all but one of them. The Oswego native led her team in scoring with 12 points per game and leads the conference with a 49.8 shooting percentage 7.9 rebounds per game and 2.3 steals per game. She not only was a threat on the offensive end, but an anchor on defense as well, with 7.9 rebounds per game, 2.4 steals per game (top in the league), and 1.1 blocks per game. Brooks was a key contributor in helping Geneseo win the SUNYAC women's basketball championship, averaging 12 points per game and 8 rebounds per game, while shooting at a .600 clip to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.

Rookie of the Year - Natalie Alfieri, Geneseo

A graduate from Westlake High School where she scored over 1,000 career points, Alfieri, a freshman guard, was a sharpshooter from downtown ranking fourth in the league with a 39.3 three-point shooting percentage. She also averages 4.8 rebounds per game. Alfieri started in 26 games this season with top games against Brockport and Alfred where she scored 19 points on 58 percent shooting and pulled down 6 rebounds against the Golden Eagles. Then in a win against Alfred, the newcomer did a little of everything, scoring eight points, grabbing seven boards, and dishing out five assists.

Coach of the Year - Scott Hemer - Geneseo

In his 11th season at Geneseo, Hemer has once again led his women's basketball team to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fourth straight year. After guiding his team to a league-best record of 23-2 (18-0 in the conference for the second straight year), the top-seeded Knights were able to hold off New Paltz, 63-57, and Oneonta, 58-52, to win the SUNYAC women's championship. This marks Hemer's third championship with the Knights, other ones were as recently as 2015 and 2011. The 2016 Pat Summit Trophy Winner looks to ride Geneseo's hot streak into the NCAA tournament where last year they had an impressive run reaching the program's fourth round of 16, falling to host Ohio Northern, 72-55.

2018 SUNYAC Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams (PDF)

First Team
Name	School	Year	Hometown
Lindsay Johnson	Brockport	SR	Waterloo, N.Y.
Kerry McHugh	Cortland	SR	Monroe, N.Y.
McKenna Brooks	Geneseo	JR	Oswego, N.Y.
Lindsay Bettke	New Paltz	JR	Pelham, N.Y.
Rachel Simon	New Paltz	JR	Wallkill, N.Y.

Second Team
Name	School	Year	Hometown
Jenna Einink	Fredonia	JR	Westfield, N.Y.
Natalie Alfieri	Geneseo	FR	Hawthorne, N.Y.
Lindsay Halpin	Geneseo	FR	Irvington, N.Y.
Teresa Anken	Oneonta	JR	Rome, N.Y.
Courtney Ameele	Oswego	SR	Palmyra, N.Y.

Third Team
Name	School	Year	Hometown
Schyler Lauz	Brockport	JR	Brewerton, N.Y.
Emily Nestler	Brockport	JR	Henrietta, N.Y.
Liv Lebaron	Buffalo State	SO	Corning, N.Y.
Kristy Vitucci	Cortland	JR	Deer Park , N.Y.
Jacque Law	Fredonia	SR	Lime Lake, N.Y.
Madeline Frank	Oneonta	JR	Syracuse, N.Y.

Player of the Year	McKenna Brooks, Geneseo
Rookie of the Year	Natalie Alfieri, Geneseo
Coach of the Year	Scott Hemer, Geneseo