West Babylon, N.Y. - St. Thomas Aquinas senior Jenna Erickson (Melrose, N.Y.) has been named the East Coast Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year in a vote by the league's coaches. Adiya Henderson (Troy, N.Y.) makes it two ECC major awards from St. Thomas Aquinas, earning the Defensive Player of the Year honor. University of the District of Columbia freshman forward Daeja Quick (Pittsburgh, Pa.) wraps up the conference's major honors, taking home the Rookie of the Year award.
Erickson wraps up a stellar career in Sparkill with the Player of the Year honor. Her name is found throughout the conference leader board in numerous statistical categories. She ranked second in the conference by averaging 17.6 points per game, while also leading the league in with 83 made three pointers, a 46.6 three point field goal percentage, and a 87.7 free throw percentage. Her three point percentage is fifth best in the country, as well. In addition she ranked second in the ECC with 4.8 assists per game and seventh with 53 steals.
Henderson was a force in the paint to earn the Defensive Player of the Year award. She finished the regular season with 2.11 blocks per game, good for second in the ECC and 34th in Division II. She also added 41 steals and pulled down 6.4 rebounds per game during the season.
Quick's career in the nation's capital got off to a bang during the 2017-18 season. In her first year, this freshman guard was a six-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection. Quick finished fifth in the league with 16.0 points per game while also leading the league in 130 free throws made. She also finished fourth in the ECC with 62 steals
Deirdre Moore of LIU Post has been tabbed Coach of the Year by her peers after leading LIU Post to their first ECC Regular Season Championship since 2014. After being ranked in the ECC preseason poll, Moore has led the Pioneers to a 22-6 record and a near-perfect 17-1 mark in ECC play. The Pioneers are also in the mix for an NCAA Tournament berth with a No. 6 ranking the NCAA East Region poll heading into the ECC Championship.
The ECC also announced the Women's Basketball All-Conference teams. First Team members include: Beth Bonins (So., G, Queens), Jenna Erickson (Sr., G, St. Thomas Aquinas), Maia Hood (Gr., G/F, NYIT), Sasha Patterson (Sr., F, LIU Post), Sarah Saba (Sr., G, Daemen), and Nina Vukosavljevic (Sr., G, NYIT).
The ECC All-Conference Second Team members are: Taya Andrews (So., G, Roberts Wesleyan), Adiya Henderson (Sr., F, St. Thomas Aquinas), Emily Miller (So., F, Roberts Wesleyan), Mikaiya Moore (So., F, LIU Post), Merrick Rowland (Sr., G, Queens), and Samnell Vonleh (Jr., C, Bridgeport).
ECC Third Team selections are Lucy Covley (Sr., G, Roberts Wesleyan), Kadijah Dickson (So., G, Bridgeport), Kylie Garrett (Gr., G, LIU Post), Necedah James (Sr., G, Roberts Wesleyan), and Daeja Quick (Fr., G, Dist. Coulmbia).
2017-2018 ECC Women’s Basketball All-Conference
First Team
Beth Bonin, Queens
Jenna Erickson, St. Thomas Aquinas
Maia Hood, NYIT
Sasha Patterson, LIU Post
Sarah Saba, Daemen
Nina Vukosavljevic, NYIT
Second Team *
Taya Andrews, Roberts Wesleyan
Adiya Henderson, St. Thomas Aquinas
Emily Miller, Roberts Wesleyan
Mikaiya Moore, LIU Post
Merrick Rowland, Queens
Samnell Vonleh, Bridgeport
Third Team
Lucy Covley, Roberts Wesleyan
Kadijah Dickson, Bridgeport
Kylie Garrett, LIU Post
Necedah James, Roberts Wesleyan
Daeja Quick, Dist. Columbia
Player of the Year: Jenna Erickson, St. Thomas Aquinas
Rookie of the Year: Daeja Quick, Dist. Columbia
Defensive Player of the Year: Adiya Henderson, St. Thomas Aquinas
Coach of the Year: Deirdre Moore, LIU Post
* - Six players on the Second Team due to a tie in the voting