Philadelphia – Queens (N.Y.) College senior Madison Rowland (Albany, N.Y.) was selected as the East Region Player of the Year to headline the 2016-17 Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) Women’s Basketball All-East Region Team that was released Tuesday. The team was voted on by the sports information directors of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC), East Coast Conference (ECC), and Northeast-10 (NE10).
The ECC Player of the Year, Rowland is ranked fifth in Division II with 21.9 points per game on an ECC-best 51.2 percent shooting. Rowland also has 10.9 rebounds per game, which is third in the ECC, to her name and is one of three players in the conference to average a double-double. One of the nation’s top defensive players, Rowland sits atop Division II with 4.5 steals per game and is fourth in Division II history with 497 career steals. She became the first player in program history to record 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds on Feb. 18, 2017.
Rowland was named the MVP of the NCAA Division II East Region Tournament after leading the Knights to the region title with 24.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks during the three games.
Two-time NE10 Player of the Year Jen Gemma (Bentley), CACC Player of the Year Kristen Drogsler (Caldwell), Sierra Clark (Adelphi), and Dana Watts (American International) join Rowland on the All-East Region first team. All five players will move on to the national ballot for All-America consideration.
The second team is comprised of ECC Defensive Player of the Year MacKenzie Rowland (Queens), NE10 Defensive Player of the Year Candace Andrews (Saint Anselm), CACC Defensive Player of the Year Tianna Smith (Bloomfield), Calli Balfour (Adelphi), and Lexi Bruno (Goldey-Beacom).
The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.
2016-17 DIICCA Women's Basketball All-East Region
First Team
Sierra Clark, Adelphi (Sr., Hughesville, Md.)
Kristen Drogsler, Caldwell (Jr., Middle Village, N.Y.)
Jen Gemma, Bentley (Sr., Milton, Mass.)
Madison Rowland, Queens (Sr., Albany, N.Y.)
Dana Watts, American International (So., Rochester, N.Y.)
Second Team
Candace Andrews, Saint Anselm (Sr., Boston, Mass.)
Calli Balfour, Adelphi (Sr., Hopewell Junction, N.Y.)
Lexi Bruno, Goldey-Beacom (Jr., Millville, N.J.)
MacKenzie Rowland, Queens (Sr., Albany, N.Y.)
Tianna Smith, Bloomfield (Sr., Spring Valley, N.Y.)
East Region Player of the Year: Madison Rowland, Queens
Release provided by Paul Gornowski, DIICCA Women's Basketball East Region Coordinator and Director of Athletic Communications at Philadelphia University.
