BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- Notre Dame College's Martha Nagbe is the 2015 Mountain East Conference Player of the Year, West Virginia Wesleyan's Mari Stewart is the Freshman of the Year, and Shepherd's Jenna Eckleberry is the league's Coach of the Year.
Nagbe, a junior guard from Lakewood, Ohio, is ranked in the top 10 in the MEC in seven different categories. She is third in the conference in scoring with 18.1 points per game, and is also seventh in the league in assists averaging 3.15 per contest. Nagbe also excelled on defense coming up with 53 steals -- fourth most in the MEC.
Stewart, a freshman from Templeton, Calif., led all MEC freshmen in scoring and rebounding for the Bobcats averaging 17.1 and 7.8, respectively. Those figures also ranked in the top 10 among all players in the league. She recorded eight double-doubles on the year and had the second-most points in a game in the league this year with 37 against West Liberty.
Eckleberry, in just her first year at Shepherd, orchestrated a dramatic turnaround to claim Coach of the Year honors. She took over a program that had just four wins a season ago and guided it to a 20-8 overall record and a share of the 2015 regular season conference title.
In addition to the individual awards, the league also announced 2014-15 all-conference teams. Nagbe, Hailey Garrett (Fairmont State) and Liz Flowers earn first team honors for the second-consecutive year. Jaila Bryant (WJU), Blair Harding (UVa-Wise), Kailee Howe (West Liberty), Nichole Perry (Charleston) and Keyanna Tate (Glenville State) round out the first team.
Three schools had two players on the second team including Concord (Rachel Artrip and Jacqueline Kestner), Fairmont State (Hallie Gunnoe and Emily Lohr) and Shepherd (Rachel Johnson and Cara Mason). Breanna Butler (Wheeling Jesuit) and Monet Saunders (Charleston) also earned second team recognition.
The All-MEC teams are selected by a vote of the league's coaches.
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2015 All-MEC First Team |
|
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown |
|
Jaila Bryant |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Jr. |
G |
5-8 |
Pickerington, Ohio |
|
Liz Flowers |
West Liberty |
Jr. |
G |
5-8 |
Williamstown, W.Va. |
|
Hailey Garrett |
Fairmont State |
Sr. |
F |
6-1 |
Fairmont, W.Va. |
|
Blair Harding |
UVa-Wise |
Jr. |
G |
5-9 |
Baltimore, Md. |
|
Kailee Howe |
West Liberty |
Jr. |
G |
5-10 |
Zanesville, Ohio |
|
Martha Nagbe |
Notre Dame |
Jr. |
G |
5-7 |
Lakewood, Ohio |
|
Nichole Perry |
Charleston |
Sr. |
G |
5-7 |
Poseyville, Ind. |
|
Keyanna Tate |
Glenville State |
Sr. |
G/F |
6-0 |
Forestville, Md. |
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2015 All-MEC Second Team |
|
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown |
|
Rachel Artrip |
Concord |
Sr. |
F |
6-0 |
Swords Creek, Va. |
|
Breanna Butler |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Jr. |
G |
5-9 |
Oak Hill, Ohio |
|
Hallie Gunnoe |
Fairmont State |
Sr. |
G |
5-10 |
Hinton, W.Va. |
|
Rachel Johnson |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
G |
5-7 |
Frederick, Md. |
|
Jacqueline Kestner |
Concord |
Sr. |
F |
5-10 |
Blountville, Tenn. |
|
Emily Lohr |
Fairmont State |
Sr. |
G |
6-1 |
Stoystown, Pa. |
|
Cara Mason |
Shepherd |
So. |
G |
5-8 |
Monrovia, Md. |
|
Monet Saunders |
Charleston |
So. |
F/C |
6-1 |
Woodmere, Ohio |
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2015 All-MEC Honorable Mention |
|
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown |
|
Kennedy Boggs |
Urbana |
Jr. |
G |
5-5 |
Delphos, Ohio |
|
LeAnne Ross |
Charleston |
Sr. |
G |
5-8 |
Marietta, Ohio |
|
Shealyn Shafer |
W.Va. State |
So. |
F |
6-0 |
Summersville, W.Va. |
|
Kierra Simpson |
West Liberty |
Jr. |
F |
5-11 |
Columbus, Ohio |
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Player of the Year: Martha Nagbe (Notre Dame) |
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Freshman of the Year: Mari Stewart (West Virginia Wesleyan) |
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Coach of the Year: Jenna Eckleberry (Shepherd) |
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2014 All