Binghamton University’s Rachel Laws and University of Hartford’s Erika Messam were unanimous selections to the 2005-06 America East Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Both players received eight votes from the coaches around the league (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players) and were all-conference selections from a year ago.
Joining Laws and Messam on the preseason squad are junior guards Mykeema Ford of Stony Brook University and Ikea Witt of Hartford, 2005 second team and third team all-conference selections, respectively. Senior Katie Meinhardt of Boston University rounds out the five-member preseason team.
Laws, a 5-11 guard, led the Bearcats in scoring (13.7 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg) and steals (1.56 spg) for the second year in a row. She was also in the top 10 in the league for scoring, field goal percentage and rebounding. Six times last season she scored more than 20 points in a game, despite a nagging ankle injury through the duration of the season.
Messam, a 5-8 guard, is the Hawks’ leading playmaker, averaging 11.2 points per game and dishing out 2.69 assists per game. Messam was named the America East Championship Most Outstanding Player after hitting the game-winning shot, with four seconds left, against Boston University in the title game.
Ford, a 5-8 guard, led America East with 17.5 points and 5.0 assists per game, which also ranked 40th in the nation. She was also at the top of the conference for steals, three-pointers, assist/turnover ratio and free-throw percentage. She is one of the league’s most explosive scorers with the ability to drive the lane and shoot the three.
Witt, a 5-8 guard, was one of the Hawks leading scorers (10.8 ppg), while starting all 31 games last season. Witt ranked number six in the league for free throw percentage and eight for field goal percentage.
Meinhardt, a 5-9 guard, was the 2002-03 Rookie of the Year and was a key reserve for the Terriers this past season. Second in scoring (11.1 ppg.) and first in steals with 48, Meinhardt will be a key player this season as the Terriers look to finish on the top.