Lister, Barrett Top PSAC Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Cal U senior Seairra Barrett and Millersville sophomore Lauren Lister have been named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Athletes of the Year, the league announced Thursday afternoon in conjunction with the release of the women’s basketball all-conference teams.
All-conference teams and major award winners are voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Barrett made history while earning the PSAC West Athlete and Defensive Athlete of the Year. The senior is the second athlete in the sport to accomplish the feat after Edinboro’s Ciara Rosten did so last season. Barrett is the first West Athlete to win the Defensive award twice in a career. It marks her fourth major award in her career after she was named Freshman of the Year in 2015. Barrett is the ninth Vulcan to garner Athlete of the Year accolades while it marks the 10th time Cal U has received recognition.
Barrett sits third in the PSAC in points per game (21.4) while leading the league in rebounds (8.9). She tops the league in steals (80) and steals per game (2.9) and is the fifth-best in shooting percentage (49.8). The Vulcans earned a date in the PSAC semis following their 80-68 victory against Gannon Wednesday. Cal U will face off against Kutztown Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Kutztown.
In the East, Lister became the sixth Marauder to claim the award and first since 2013 (Aurielle Mosely). She is the first sophomore in either division to win the award since 2006-07 and the first in the East since at least 1993-94. Lister shattered single season program records in points (604), points per game (22.4) and field goals made (231). The sophomore scored the second-most points in a game (38) against Shippensburg while shooting 11-of-14 from the field in the second half. Lister averaged 25.7 points during the Marauders’ 6-1 stretch that led her team to the postseason.
East Stroudsburg junior Jordan Hertz claimed the East Defensive Athlete of the Year accolade and is the first Warrior to garner the award. Hertz spearheaded a strong East Stroudsburg squad defensively that allowed 68.6 points per game. The junior sits fourth in the PSAC in steals (67) and steals per game (2.4). She swatted 19 shots on the season while logging 35.2 minutes per game.
Gannon’s Tori Obenrader was named West Freshman of the Year after claiming the weekly award on seven occasions. She is the first Golden Knight to claim the award and it marks the first major award for Gannon since 2013. Obenrader paced the team in rebounds per game (6.9) while sitting 14th in the category in the league. She averaged 7.9 points per game while dishing out 28 assists and accumulating 22 steals.
Shippensburg’s Aunbrielle Green was tabbed the East Freshman of the Year and is the ninth Raider to garner the award. Shippensburg has claimed the award in consecutive seasons. Green scored in double figures on 17 occasions this season, including three 21-point efforts. She notched six double-doubles. Green sits 11th in the PSAC in shooting percentage (44.3) and is in the top 20 in points per game (12.8) and rebounds (7.0).
IUP’s Tom McConnell was tabbed West Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. He is the first since Cal U’s Jess Strom (2015 & 2016) to repeat. The Crimson Hawks entered the week at No. 14 in the WBCA Coaches Poll and No. 4 in the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional Rankings. IUP sit at No. 1 in the PSAC and No. 8 in the country in scoring defense (53.7). Offensively, IUP is second in the league (77.5). McConnell’s squad earned a berth in the PSAC Final Four following their 67-53 victory Wednesday against Seton Hill. The Crimson Hawks will battle Bloomsburg Saturday at 1 p.m.
Bloomsburg’s Allison Tagliaferri received East Coach of the Year recognition for the first time in career. Tagliaferri is believed to be the first coach in the sport to win the award and an Athlete of the Year award (2006, Mansfield). Under her direction, the Huskies are the lone school in the East to compile 20 wins this season while her defense sits third (60.2) in scoring defense in the PSAC. The Huskies earned the No. 2 seed in the East and set a date with IUP following a 58-52 win against West Chester Wednesday.
IUP senior Carolyn Appleby and Barrett landed on an all-conference team for the third time in their respective careers.
A full list of honorees is below.
WESTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
University |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| G |
Carolyn Appleby^* |
IUP |
Sr. |
Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic |
| G |
Michaela Barnes^ |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston |
| F |
Seairra Barrett^* |
California |
R-Sr. |
Center Twp., Pa. / Central Valley |
| G/F |
Megan Marecic |
Seton Hill |
Gr. |
Bethel Park, Pa. / Drexel |
| G/F |
Gabrielle Smith^ |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Jr. |
Darlington, Pa. / Quigley Catholic |
| G |
Jontay Walton * |
Edinboro |
Gr. |
Buffalo, N.Y. / Umass Lowell |
| G |
Lauren Wolosik^ |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Central Connecticut State |
WESTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
University |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| G |
Brooke Hinderliter^ |
Slippery Rock |
Jr. |
Seminole, Pa. / Redbank Valley |
| C/F |
Nicole LaCava |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Hermitage, Pa. / Hickory |
| F |
Allison McGrath |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Jr. |
South Park, Pa. / Univ. Maryland Baltimore County |
| F |
Brittany Robinson |
IUP |
Sr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East |
| F |
Ciara Rosten* |
Edinboro |
R-Sr. |
Buffalo, N.Y. / UMass |
| G/F |
Chelsea Rourke |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine-Richland |
| G |
Cheyenne Trest |
Seton Hill |
So. |
Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon McMillan |
EASTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
University |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| G |
Rylee Derr^ |
Kutztown |
So. |
Lititz, Pa. / Warwick |
| G |
Destiny Jefferson |
West Chester |
So. |
Scranton, Pa. / West Scranton |
| G |
Ariel Jones* |
Shippensburg |
So. |
Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest |
| G |
Tiffany Lapotsky^ |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
Ashland, Pa. / North Schuylkill |
| G |
Lauren Lister |
Millersville |
So. |
Blandon, Pa. / Fleetwood Area |
| F |
Taylor Montana^ |
Bloomsburg |
Jr. |
Berwick, Pa. / Berwick |
| F |
Madison Torresin^ |
West Chester |
R-Sr. |
Mechanicsburg, Pa. / UMBC |
EASTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
University |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| F |
Aunbrielle Green |
Shippensburg |
Fr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East |
| G |
Jordan Hertz |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg |
| G |
Karen Lapkiewicz |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Southampton, Pa. / Saint Basil Academy |
| G |
Alyssa Mack |
Bloomsburg |
Sr. |
Walnutport, Pa. / Allentown Central Catholic |
| F |
Ahnera Parker |
Lock Haven |
So. |
Lancaster, Pa. / J.P. McCaskey |
| G |
Emma Saxton |
Bloomsburg |
So. |
York, Pa. / Central York |
| G |
Gabrielle Troisi |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Norristown, Pa. / Pope John Paul II |
*Indicates previous First Team All-PSAC selection
^Indicates previous Second Team All-PSAC selection
EASTERN DIVISION
Athlete of the Year: Lauren Lister, Millersville
Defensive Athlete of the Year: Jordan Hertz, East Stroudsburg
Freshman of the Year: Aunbrielle Green, Shippensburg
Coach of the Year: Allison Tagliaferri, Bloomsburg
WESTERN DIVISION
Athlete of the Year: Seairra Barrett, California
Defensive Athlete of the Year: Seairra Barrett, California
Freshman of the Year: Tori Obenrader, Gannon
Coach of the Year: Tom McConnell, IUP