Complete All-Conference Team Breakdown (PDF)
Messam is averaging 10.2 ppg and 3.62 apg this season. The senior is the unquestionable leader of the Hawks, which have already set program records for wins in a season (23) and conference wins in a season (15). Messam scored her 1,000th career point early this year, becoming only the second player since the program moved to Division I to earn 1,000 points, 300 rebounds, 300 assists and 150 steals in a career. Her tenacious play on both ends of the floor has propelled Hartford to their first-ever America East regular-season championship and subsequent No. 1 seed for the upcoming 2006 Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Women's Basketball Championship.
Beverly, a unanimous Rookie of the Year selection, finished the regular season ranked second in the conference in rebounding (8.4 rpg), third in field goal percentage (55.4 percent) and fifth in blocked shots (1.15 bpg). Beverly earned Rookie of the Week distinction 10 times this season, setting a new conference record. After leading Hartford in rebounding in 18-of-25 games this season, Beverly closed the regular season with 219 total rebounds and 30 blocks.
Rizzotti has guided the Hawks to the most overall and conference victories in a season and also the program's first league regular-season title. She earned her 100th victory in a 65-54 win at Seton Hall this season and also became the winningest coach in Hartford women’s basketball history. Rizzotti coached a conference record four players to all-conference status this season, including the Player and Rookie of the Year winners.
Ferraro, a sophomore for the Seawolves, was dominating on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass all season long for second-year head coach Maura McHugh. Ferraro led the conference in rebounding (11.2 rpg), offensive rebounding (3.7 rpg) and defensive rebounding (7.2 rpg). She tallied a program-record 23 rebounds earlier this season in a victory over Boston University. Her 11.2 rebounds per game is the highest single-season average in America East since New Hampshire's Kathy Caldwell pulled down 11.5 rpg back in 1996-97. She also amassed a team-high 19 blocks on the season.
The all-conference first team consists of Messam, Boston University’s Rachael Vanderwal, Hartford’s Danielle Hood, Stony Brook’s Mykeema Ford and University of Vermont’s Alexis Castro. Vanderwal, a senior, was a third-team all-conference selection last season and is averaging 12.8 ppg and 6.7 rpg for the Terriers. Hood, one of two sophomores on the first-team, led Hartford in scoring with 13.9 ppg and was second in field goal percentage (54.3 percent). Ford, a second-team all-conference selection from 2005, was second in the league in scoring with 15.7 ppg and first in assists with 4.62 apg. The 5-8 junior was also the top three-point shooter for the Seawolves with 1.54 made per game. Castro, the other sophomore on this year's first-team, led the conference in scoring with 16.1 ppg and was the top rebounding Catamount with 7.0 rpg.
Beverly, the only rookie to make an all-conference team, is joined on the second team by Binghamton’s Laine Kurpniece, UMBC’s Sharri Rohde, New Hampshire’s Danielle Clark and Stony Brook’s Jessica Smith. Kurpniece emerged as one of the conference's top low-post threats as she led the Bearcats in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.8 rpg). The sophomore became the first Binghamton player to earn the America East Player of the Week accolade three times in one season. Rohde, a junior forward, is the only player in the league to rank in the top-11 in scoring (fifth, 14.8 ppg), rebounding (11th, 6.4 rpg), assists (8th, 2.94 apg) and field goal percentage (3rd, 57.1 percent). Clark was the third-leading scorer in the league and led the Wildcats in scoring (15.2 ppg) and free-throw percentage (84.2 percent). Smith, a second-team all-conference selection in 2005, a third-team all-conference selection and Rookie of the Year in 2004, was fourth in the conference in scoring with 14.8 ppg and fifth in rebounding (7.2 rpg).
The third-team is composed of Ferraro, Binghamton’s Rachel Laws, Hartford’s Ikea Witt, Maine’s Bracey Barker and New Hampshire’s Ray Williams. Laws is the second-leading scorer for the Bearcats with 10.9 ppg. Despite being injured for a good portion of the conference season, Laws was named to the first-team in 2004 and 2005. Witt leads the Hawks in free throw percentage with 83.0 percent and was a third-team all-conference selection last season. Barker leads Maine in scoring (13.9 ppg) and is second in rebounding (6.9 rpg). Williams leads the Wildcats in rebounding with 6.1 ppg and leads the conference in field goal percentage (59.9 percent).
The inaugural all-defensive team is made up of Vanderwal, Messam, Ferrarro, New Hampshire’s Whitney Edwards and Binghamton’s Jen Haubrich. Edwards averages 2.11 steals per game and ranks fourth in the conference for assist-turnover ratio (1.21). Haubrich, a senior for the Bearcats, averages 4.3 rebounds per game and is one of the toughest players in the conference.
The all rookie team is led by Beverly and consists of Boston U.’s Christine Kinneary and Jesyka Burks-Wiley, Hartford’s MaryLynne Schaefer and Vermont’s Andrea Cihal. Kinneary ranked second for the Terriers in assists (2.56 apg) and was the sole rookie for Boston U. to play in all 27 games, while Burks-Wiley earned rookie of the week status four times this season. Schaefer is a sharp-shooting guard for the Hawks, while Cihal emerged as a solid contributor for the Catamounts as the season progressed.
Each of the all-conference and all-rookie choices will be in action this weekend at the Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Women’s Basketball Championship. The championship begins with first-round action on Thursday, March 9. Quarterfinal games will be played Friday, March 10 with the semifinals slated for Saturday, March 11 and Championship on March 12. All four rounds will be held at Chase Arena at Reich Family Arena in West Hartford, Conn.