BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- Charleston's Brooklyn Pannell has been selected as the Mountain East Conference Player of the Year, the league announced today as it released its top honors and all-conference teams. Other top honors went to Fairmont State's Alyssa DeAngelo (Freshman of the Year) and UC's Tianni Kelly (Coach of the Year).
Pannell, a senior from Columbus, Ohio, led the MEC in scoring at 25.5 points per game and ranked second in the country in that category in the regular season. She scored more than 30 points a league-best four times, and scored 20 points or more 12 times. She shot 46 percent from the field on the year, and she ranked second in three-point field goal percentage at 45 percent. Pannell played more minutes than any other player in the MEC this season.
DeAngelo, a native of Jefferson Hills, Pa., led all MEC freshmen in scoring this past season averaging 13.1 points per game. Her 28 steals (1.75 per game) were also tops among freshmen in the MEC this season. She reached double figures in scoring in 12 of Fairmont State's 16 games this year and shot 45 percent from the field.
Kelly is the league's Coach of the Year in her first season at the helm of her alma mater. She guided Charleston to a 13-2 record and the South Division title. UC opened the season with 13-straight wins and rose to as high as No. 3 in the WBCA national rankings. Charleston is also in the spot for an NCAA Tournament berth based on the most recent listings from the Regional Advisory Committee.
The league also announced the 2020-21 all-conference teams. Fairmont State’s Sierra Kotchman and Wheeling's Lilly Ritz are repeat selections from last first team last year. Pannell moved to the first team from the second team last year, as did Riley Fitzwater (CU), Jada Marone (NDC), Zakiyah Winfield (GSC). Olivia Belknap (WLU) and Erykah Russell (UC) rounded out the first team.
Glenville State teammates Re'Shawna Stone and Taychaun Hubbard were second team selections, as were West Virginia State's duo of Charity Shears and Destiny Fields. Marina Adachi (Notre Dame), Destiny Fields (West Virginia State), Maggie Guynn (Concord), Jamiyah Johnson (Davis & Elkins) and West Liberty's Audrey Tingle also earned second team honors.
DeAngleo earned the nod as an honorable mention honoree, as did Morgan Dombroski (Frostburg State), Maddy Moyer (Alderson Broaddus) and Dakota Reeves (Charleston).
The All-MEC teams are selected by a vote of the league's coaches.
| 2021 All-MEC First Team |
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown |
| Olivia Belknap |
West Liberty |
Sr. |
G |
5-7 |
Dover, Ohio |
| Riley Fitzwater |
Concord |
Sr. |
F |
6-4 |
Glenville, W.Va. |
| Sierra Kotchman** |
Fairmont State |
Jr. |
G |
5-6 |
Washington, Pa. |
| Jada Marone |
Notre Dame |
Jr. |
G |
5-4 |
Berea, Ohio |
| Brooklyn Pannell |
Charleston |
Sr. |
G |
5-9 |
Columbus, Ohio |
| Lilly Ritz* |
Wheeling |
Jr. |
F |
6-1 |
Cambridge, Ohio |
| Erykah Russell |
Charleston |
Sr. |
F |
6-2 |
Brooklyn, N.Y. |
| Zakiyah Winfield |
Glenville State |
Jr. |
G |
5-7 |
Reading, Pa. |
| * First team in 2019 • ** First team in 2019 and 2020 |
| 2021 All-MEC Second Team |
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown |
| Marina Adachi |
Notre Dame |
So. |
G |
5-7 |
Attica, Ohio |
| Destiny Fields |
W.Va. State |
So. |
G |
5-10 |
Reynoldsburg, Ohio |
| Maggie Guynn |
Concord |
Jr. |
G |
5-10 |
Pearisburg, Va. |
| Taychaun Hubbard |
Glenville State |
Jr. |
G |
5-7 |
Laurel, Md. |
| Jamiyah Johnson |
Davis & Elkins |
Sr. |
F |
5-11 |
Williamsburg, Va. |
| Charity Shears |
W.Va. State |
Jr. |
G |
5-9 |
Ashland, Ky. |
| Re'Shawna Stone |
Glenville State |
Jr. |
G |
5-6 |
Waynesville, Mo. |
| Audrey Tingle |
West Liberty |
Sr. |
G |
5-6 |
West Lafayette, Ohio |
| 2021 All-MEC Honorable Mention |
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Hometown |
| Alyssa DeAngelo |
Fairmont State |
Fr. |
G/F |
5-11 |
Jefferson Hills, Pa. |
| Morgan Dombroski |
Frostburg State |
Jr. |
G |
5-8 |
Westminster, Md. |
| Maddy Moyer |
Alderson Broaddus |
Sr. |
G |
5-8 |
Mentor, Ohio |
| Dakota Reeves |
Charleston |
So. |
G |
5-7 |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
Player of the Year: Brooklyn Pannell (Charleston)
Freshman of the Year: Alyssa DeAngelo (Fairmont State)
Coach of the Year: Tianni Kelly (Charleston) |
Previous Winners
MEC Player of the Year
2014: Lexy Carson (WVSU)
2015: Martha Nagbe (NDC)
2016: Kierra Simpson (WLU)
2017: Paris McLeod (GSC)
2018: Paris McLeod (GSC)
2019: Marissa Brown (WLU)
2020: Tyra James (UU)
2021: Brooklyn Pannell (UC)
MEC Freshman of the Year
2014: Cara Mason (SU)
2015: Mari Stewart (WVWC)
2016: Laura Szorenyi (WVSU)
2017: Sydney Bates (WVSU)
2018: Sierra Kotchman (FAIR)
2019: Re'Shawna Stone (GSC)
2020: Dakota Reeves (UC)
2021: Alyssa DeAngelo (FAIR)
MEC Coach of the Year
2014: Adam Collins (UC)
2015: Jenna Eckleberry (SU)
2016: Lynn Ullom (WLU)
2017: Katie Hine (NDC)
2018: Kim Stephens (GSC)
2019: Kim Stephens (GSC)
2020: Lauren Macer (NDC)
2021: Tianni Kelly (UC)
2014 All