ECC Women's Basketball Report - Week 15

Player of the Week Sophomore | F | Northampton, PA Lesko averaged a team-high 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 3.5 steals per game to go with 2.5 assists per game on 65.2 percent shooting as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The sophomore opened the week with a team-high 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the 77-47 win over Queens on Wednesday. The Mavs forward ended the week with a game-high 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting with a game-high 12 rebounds to go with three assists, three blocks, and five steals in the 65-58 win over Molloy on Saturday.  Co-Defensive Players of the Week Senior | C | East Meadow, NY Hipper continued her outstanding defensive season in a 1-1 week for the Lions. The Molloy center kicked off the week with six defensive rebounds (eight total) and a single-game, program-record 12 blocks against in Molloy's 76-64 triumph over St. Thomas Aquinas; the 12 blocks ties for second in the NCAA single-game rankings across Division II this season. Hippner followed up with six more blocks to go with three defensive rebounds (eight total) and a steal against Mercy. On the week, Hippner averaged 9.0 blocks per game and now ranks third in the country in total blocks (84) and blocks per game (3.23).  Sophomore | F | Northampton, PA Across two wins, Lesko pulled down 15 defensive rebounds (16 total) and added seven steals and four blocks. The sophomore opened the week with four defensive rebounds, two steals, and one block while holding Queens to 47 points in the Mavs’ 77-47 win. The forward ended the week with 11 defensive rebounds (12 total), five steals, and three blocks in Mercy’s 65-58 win over Molloy.  Rookie of the Week Sophomore | F | Northampton, PA Lesko averaged a team-high 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 3.5 steals per game to go with 2.5 assists per game on 65.2 percent shooting as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The sophomore opened the week with a team-high 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the 77-47 win over Queens on Wednesday. The Mavs forward ended the week with a game-high 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting with a game-high 12 rebounds to go with three assists, three blocks, and five steals in the 65-58 win over Molloy on Saturday.  ECC Weekly Honor Roll Sophomore | G | West Haven, CT Abuhatab averaged 17.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game as Mercy went 2-0 on the week. The sophomore opened the week with 13 points, five assists, and five rebounds in the win at Queens on Wednesday. The guard ended the week with 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting with a career-high 11 rebounds in the win over Molloy on Saturday.  Senior | F | Troy, NY Alarcon scored 19 points to go along with eight rebounds and three steals in Wednesday's win against Roberts Wesleyan, marking the 13th time this season in which the CSI senior has recorded at least three steals in a game. She also finished with eight rebounds, just two shy of her fourth double-double. Sophomore | F | Hyde Park, NY Awaka averaged 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks in a 1-1 week for the Knights. The Queens sophomore forward recorded 18 points on 62.5 percent shooting, nine rebounds, one steal, one block, and one assist against Mercy on Wednesday evening. On Saturday in the ECC series sweep over St. Thomas Aquinas, Awaka recorded her 11th double-double of the year with 13 points and 12 rebounds to go with two steals and one block. Graduate Student | G | Somers, NY DiCintio played all 40 minutes and matched a season-high 22 points after shooting 53 percent from the field (8-of-15) and 55 percent from beyond the arc (5-of-9) while leading the ‘Cats defensively with nine rebounds (seven defensive), one block, and one assist in Daemen's loss at D'Youville on Saturday. Graduate Student | G | Ithaca, NY Haverlock was the high scorer for Roberts Wesleyan in both games last week, scoring 26 at Staten Island and 14 against District of Columbia. The RWU graduate student added eight rebounds, including seven against UDC, and four assists on the week. Senior | G/F | Brandywine, MD Hill came off the bench to post 16 points (6-of-7 FG), nine rebounds, two steals, and a block in the Firebirds’ 66-50 victory over Roberts Wesleyan. Senior | G/F | Averill Park, NY Jankovic scored a team-high 15 points, grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds, dished out three assists, and recorded a steal to help D'Youville hand Daemen its first conference loss of the season. Junior | F | New Hyde Park, NY McCullagh paved the way for the Lions in a 1-1 week. The Molloy forward tallied a career-high 19 points in Molloy's victory over St. Thomas Aquinas while shooting 57 percent from the floor and pulling down eight rebounds. On the week, McCullagh totaled 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 48 percent from the floor. Freshman | G | Fort Washington, MD Thomas averaged 13.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block over two contests last week for STAC. The freshman guard tallied 10 points, grabbed one rebound, dished off two assists, swiped a steal, and blocked a shot in 21 minutes in a 76-64 loss to Molloy before recording 16 points, three rebounds, a steal and a block in 25 minutes in an 50-36 loss against Queens. Thomas shot 36.0 percent (9-of-25) from the field and 89.0 percent from the charity stripe (8-of-9). Freshman | G | Buffalo, NY In D'Youville's win over Daemen on Saturday, Vallone Russell scored a team-high 15 points, dished out a team-high five assists, and grabbed five rebounds. Senior | G | Fairfield, OH Williams posted a double-double on 14 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out two assists and a block in the Firebirds’ win over Roberts Wesleyan. ECC Women's Basketball Weekly Award Winners PLAYER OF THE WEEK Nov. 11 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island Nov. 18 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (2x) and Georgia Haverlock, Roberts Wesleyan Nov. 25 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (3x) Dec. 2 - Samantha Muller, Molloy Dec. 9 - Cecilia Lapertosa, Daemen Dec. 16 - Danielle DiCintio, Daemen Dec. 23 - Ashley Chio, Queens Jan. 6 - Syrita Faraj, St. Thomas Aquinas Jan. 13 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (4x) Jan. 20 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens Jan. 27 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (2x) Feb. 3 - Sofie Fuglsang, D'Youville  Feb. 10 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (3x) and Anna Jankovic, D'Youville  Feb. 17 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (5x) Feb. 24 - Grace Lesko, Mercy DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Nov. 11 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island Nov. 18 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (2x) Nov. 25 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (3x) Dec. 2 - Sajol Thornhill, Queens Dec. 9 - Cecilia Lapertosa, Daemen Dec. 16 - Claire Pikett, Daemen Dec. 23 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens Jan. 6 - Angelina Barrera, Mercy Jan. 13 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (2x) Jan. 20 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (3x) Jan. 27 - Jenalyse Alarcon, Staten Island (4x) Feb. 3 - Grace Dow, Roberts Wesleyan Feb. 10 - Nkiru Awaka, Queens (4x) Feb. 17 - Anna Jankovic, D'Youville Feb. 24 - Danielle Hippner, Molloy and Grace Lesko, Mercy  ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Nov. 11 - Allie Hall, D'Youville Nov. 18 - Samantha Ruhlman, D'Youville Nov. 25 - Aliviya Vallone Russell, D'Youville Dec. 2 - Ashley Chio, Queens Dec. 9 - Grace Lesko, Mercy Dec. 16 - Ashley Chio, Queens (2x) Dec. 23 - Ashley Chio, Queens (3x) Jan. 6 - Grace Lesko, Mercy (2x) Jan. 13 - Grace Lesko, Mercy (3x) Jan. 20 - Grace Lesko (4x) Jan. 27 - Ashley Chio, Queens (4x) Feb. 3 - Aliviya Vallone Russell, D'Youville (2x) Feb. 10 - Ne'vaeh Buntley, Daemen Feb. 17 - Ne'vaeh Buntley, Daemen (2x) Feb. 24 - Grace Lesko, Mercy (5x) Previously in the Polls WBCA TOP 25 COACHES POLL Preseason: Daemen (RV) Week 1 (11/19) through Week 13 (2/18): -- Week 14 (2/25): TBA D2CSC TOP 25 MEDIA POLL Preseason (11/5): Daemen (RV) Week 1 (11/12) through Week 13 (2/18): -- Week 14 (2/25): TBA D2CSC TOP 10 EAST REGION MEDIA POLL Preseason (11/4): Daemen (4), Mercy (5) Week 2 (11/11): Mercy (5), Daemen (9), Molloy (RV) Week 3 (11/18): Mercy (7), Molloy (RV) Week 3 (11/25): Daemen (10), Mercy (RV), Molloy (RV) Week 4 (12/2): Daemen (10), Molloy (RV), Mercy (RV) Week 5 (12/9): Daemen (10) Week 6 (12:16): Daemen (9) Week 7 (1/6): Daemen (10), Mercy (RV) Week 8 (1/13): Daemen (8) Week 9 (1/20): Daemen (8), Staten Island (RV) Week 10 (1/27): Daemen (7), Staten Island (10) Week 11 (2/3): Daemen (6), Staten Island (T-9), Mercy (RV) Week 12 (2/10): Daemen (T-5), Staten Island (9) Week 12 (2/17): Daemen (5), Staten Island (9), Mercy (RV) NCAA EAST REGION POLL First Ranking (2/19): Daemen (Under Consideration), Staten Island (Under Consideration) Second Ranking (2/26): TBA Third Ranking (3/5): TBA ECC PRESEASON POLL 1. Mercy - 76 points (5 first-place votes) 2. Daemen - 71 points (3 first-place votes) 3. District of Columbia - 60 points (1 first-place vote) 4. St. Thomas Aquinas - 52 points  5. Staten Island - 43 points 6. Molloy - 30 points 7. Queens - 29 points 8. D'Youville - 27 points 9. Roberts Wesleyan - 17 points
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