Courtesy of UVM Athletic Communications
BURLINGTON, Vt. ? University of
Vermont junior guard Courtnay
Pilypaitis (Ottawa, Ontario) has been named to the Women’s
Basketball Magazine Preseason Mid-Major All-America Second Team, which was
released in the September/October issue.
Pilypaitis, the reigning America East Player of the Year, was one of 15
players selected by the magazine on the first, second and third teams.
Last year, she became just the second player in league history to win
America East Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman and garner America
East Player of the Year honors as a sophomore.
In 2007-08 she led the Catamounts to a 24-9 record (13-3 America East),
the fourth most wins in program history, and a berth to the Postseason WNIT
for the second time in school history. The Catamounts defeated Dartmouth
in the first round before falling at Boston College in the second
round.
Pilypaitis ranked in the league’s top-10 in nine of 10 statistical
categories last year. She led Vermont in scoring (16.8 ppg), rebounding
(6.9 rpg), assists (5.45 apg), free throw percentage (83.1%), free throws
made (157) and three-point field goals made (68).
Last season, Pilypaitis tied the UVM school record for most points in a
game, pouring in 40 in a loss at Boston U. Four games later, she recorded
Vermont's first-ever triple-double in women's basketball history in a
victory over Hartford, scoring18 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing
out 10 assists in the contest.
Pilypaitis enters her junior season 19 points shy of the 1,000-career
point milestone. She ranks among the all-time leaders at Vermont in
points (17th-981), field goal percentage (18th-48.1%), three-point field
goals (6th-125), three-point field goal percentage (5th-38.6%), free
throws (7th-238), free throw percentage (6th-.780), and assists
(10th-306).
The Catamounts also return senior Amy
Rosenkrantz (Tempe, Ariz.) and junior May
Kotsopoulos (Waterloo, Ontario) to the court this season.
Rosenkrantz was named to the America East All-Conference Second Team and
All-Academic Team last season. Kotsopoulos became the first Catamount to
win the America East Defensive Player of the Year honor last year and was
also named the America East Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete for the
2007-08 season.
Vermont, which returns 96 percent of its scoring and at least 80
percent of its production in all other statistical categories heading into
the 2008-09 season, begins formal practice on Friday (Oct. 17).