CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- America East announced the first awards of a week full of honors on Tuesday morning. Boston University senior forward Kerry Cashman (Newfields, N.H./Exeter) earned the title of Fans' Choice Women's Basketball Player of the Year, while University of New Hampshire junior forward Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) took home the Player of the Game Award.
Out of 1,418 fan votes cast over four days, Cashman earned 35 percent of the votes to edge out University of Vermont senior Tonya Young (Canaan, N.H./Mascoma Valley Regional) who received 33 percent of the votes. UMBC junior Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) finished third in the voting with 22 percent of the ballots.
Fans narrowed down the 18 semifinalists to just five finalists last week in the first round of voting. The final round of voting began Thursday, February 24 and ended Monday, February 28 with all balloting done through www.AmericaEast.com.
Cashman has steadily improved in each of her four seasons and has had a stellar year in 2010-11. The senior is third in the conference with 8.6 rebounds per game and second in blocks with 41. Cashman averages 7.6 points per game, including 8.6 ppg in America East play. She is one of just two Terriers to start all 28 games this season for a Boston U. squad that earned the two seed for the upcoming tournament.
Beliveau racked up more America East Player of the Game awards throughout the regular season than any other America East player to earn the end of season Player of the Game Award. The junior, who plays a key role for the Wildcats, received the single-game honor a league-best 10 times over the course of the season. For each non-conference home game, and every league game, all conference teams named an America East Player of the Game.
Beliveau was the Rookie of the Year in 2008 and was named a preseason all-conference selection prior to this season. She ranks in the top ten in America East with 13.1 points per game (seventh) and 8.9 rebounds per game (second), compiling 11 double-doubles. Beliveau also averages 2.2 assists and 1.6 three-point field goals per game, while shooting the long-range shot with a .346 percentage.
|
All-Time Fans' Choice
Player of the Year Awards
|
| May Kotsopoulos, Vermont |
2010 |
| Christine Kinneary, Boston U. |
2009 |
| Danielle Hood, Hartford |
2008 |
| Katie Meinhardt, Boston U. |
2007 |
| All-Time Player of the Game Awards |
| Kirsten Jeter, Stony Brook |
2010 |
| Candace Williams, New Hampshire |
2009 |
| Danielle Hood, Hartford |
2008 |
| Danielle Clark, New Hampshire |
2007 |