Mid-American Conference

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced Monday the 20-member All-MAC award honorees, as well as, the 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Player of the Year as voted by the 12 Head Coaches of the Mid-American Conference.  The announcement comes prior to the first round of the 2014 MAC Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Barbasol, Monday night.

 

The 2013-14 All-MAC First Team includes a pair of teammates, Akron’s Hanna Luburgh and Rachel Tecca, and from the MAC Regular Season Champs, Bowling Green’s Jillian Halfhill and Alexis Rogers.  Crystal Bradford rounds out the first team representing Central Michigan.  For Bradford and Tecca it marks the second consecutive season the two have been honored by the coaches as first team members.   Luburgh, Tecca and Bradford were the top three scorers in the MAC this year averaging 22.9 ppg, 22.8 ppg, and 20.3 ppg respectively through the regular season.  Rogers led the way for the Falcons as their top scorer and the MAC’s second-best in field goal percentage, as she shot 53.4% from the field.  From three-point range, Jillian Halfhill was the top percentage shooter at 43.2 percent in 2013-14. 

 

The Second Team includes repeat second team honoree, Ball State’s Nathalie Fontaine, who was the Freshman of the Year a season ago.  Fontaine led Ball State this season in scoring, rebounding, blocks and minutes played.  Also on the second team were Mackenzie Loesing of Buffalo, Cha Sweeney of Eastern Michigan, Inma Zanoguera of Toledo and Miracle Woods of Western Michigan.  Loesing was Buffalo’s top scorer this season coming off her freshman year in which she was All-MAC honorable mention and part of the All-Freshman team.  Cha Sweeney finds herself as the only Eastern Michigan Eagle to receive All-MAC honors this year as Sweeney led EMU in scoring was 4th in the MAC at 16.9 ppg.  Inma Zanoguera Miracle Woods each led their teams in scoring and rebounding during the 2013-14 season.  

 

The All-MAC Third Team saw teammates Jaz’Mine Bracey and Niki DiGuilio from the MAC West champion Chippewas.   Bracey was the MAC leading field goal percentage shooter this season, edging out Rogers at 54.1%.  DiGuilio set a new MAC record with 97 three-point field goals made this year, breaking the previous mark of 96 that was set two years earlier.  Also on the second team were Buffalo’s Kristen Sharkey, who led the Bulls in minutes played and rebounds, Northern Illinois’ top scorer Amanda Corral, and two-time defending MAC Defensive Player of the Year from Toledo, Andola Dortch.

 

Receiving All-MAC Honorable mention were Ball State’s Brandy Woody, Bowling Green’s Erica Donovan, Central Michigan’s Jessica Green, Ohio’s Kiyanna Black and Western Michigan’s Marquisha Harris.

 

Rounding out the All-MAC Teams was the 2013-14 All-Freshman Team.  For only the second time in program history, EMU had a pair of teammates named to the All-Freshman team as Janay Morton joins  second-teamer Cha Sweeney.  Also, making the All-Freshman team were Akron’s Hannah Plybon, Buffalo’s Alexus Malone and Ohio’s Quiera Lampkins.  

 

The first two individual awards were also announced Monday, as Central Michigan’s Crystal Bradford was named Defensive Player of the Year, while teammate Taylor Johnson received Sixth Player of the Year honors.  

 

Bradford becomes the first Central Michigan player in program history to be named MAC Defensive Player of the Year.  In 2013-14, Bradford led MAC in defensive rebounds, was second in steals, and third in blocked shots.  All of which also led CMU during the regular season.  

 

Taylor Johnson receives the MAC Sixth Player of the Year award for the second time in her career, as she was also the 2010-11 Co-Sixth Player of the Year.  With the award, Johnson becomes the first player to ever win multiple Sixth Player of the Year awards in MAC history.  

 

Regular season awards announcements conclude Tuesday, March 11th at 1 PM when the Mid-American Conference announces the 2013-14 MAC Player, Coach and Freshman of the Year.  

 

MAC Tournament first round play opens with Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan at 5 PM, followed by the 7 PM games of Ohio at Toledo, Miami at Western Michigan, and Kent State at Ball State.  All games can been seen live on the MAC Digital Network at www.mac-sports.com.  BCSN will also air the Ohio at Toledo first round matchup live on Monday evening.   Following the first round games, the MACtion will move to the Q in Cleveland, Ohio on Wednesday, March 12th for second round games.  Tournament ticketing information and more can be found by clicking here.

 

Hanna Luburgh, Akron, G

Rachel Tecca, Akron, C

Jillian Halfhill, Bowling Green, G

Alexis Rogers, Bowling Green, F

Crystal Bradford, Central Michigan, G/F

 

Nathalie Fontaine, Ball State, G

Mackenzie Loesing, Buffalo, G

Cha Sweeney, Eastern Michigan, G

Inma Zanoguera, Toledo, G/F

Miracle Woods, Western Michigan, F/C

 

Kristen Sharkey, Buffalo, F

Jas’Mine Bracey, Central Michigan, F

Niki DiGuilio, Central Michigan, G

Amanda Corral, Northern Illinois, G

Andola Dortch, Toledo, G

 

Brandy Woody, Ball State, G

Erica Donovan, Bowling Green, F

Jessica Green, Central Michigan, G

Kiyanna Black, Ohio, G

Marquisha Harris, Western Michigan, F

 

Hannah Plybon, Akron, G

Alexus Malone, Buffalo F

Janay Morton, Eastern Michigan, G

Cha Sweeney, Eastern Michigan, G

Quiera Lampkins, Ohio, G

 

Crystal Bradford, Central Michigan, G/F

 

Taylor Johnson, Central Michigan, F