BOSTON – Three former America East major award winners highlight the 2015-16 Preseason All-Conference Team, presented by Under Armour, the conference office announced Wednesday. The five-player team was voted on by the nine women’s basketball coaches who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
The team includes two-time America East Player of the Year in University at Albany senior, Shereesha Richards, last year's Co-Defensive Player of the Year in Maine's Liz Wood and last year's Sixth Player of the Year in Albany's Imani Tate. Maine's Sigi Koizar and New Hampshire Elizabeth Belanger, both first-team all-conference picks a year ago, round out the selections.
Shereesha Richards, Albany, Sr., F, Rae Town, Jamaica
- A two-time America East Player of the Year, Shereesha Richards led league in scoring (21.2 ppg), rebounding (8.8 rpg) and field goal percentage (58.3%).
- Her 23.1 point per game average in conference play is the highest since Maine's Cindy Blodgett in 1997-98.
- She was the third player to be named both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season (Co-Defensive Player with Maine's Liz Wood.)
- Richards became the first player since Maine's Cindy Blodgett in 1997 to score 20-plus points in three-straight America East tournament games.
Imani Tate, Albany, Albany, Jr., G, Bronx, N.Y.
- America East Sixth Player of the Year, All-Conference Second Team and All-Tournament Team selection in 2014-15.
- She had the fourth-highest scoring season in Albany history with 469 total points.
- Tate ranked third in the America East in field goal percentage (49.5%), fourth in free throw percentage (78.3%) and seventh in points per game (14.2).
- She scored 17 points to lead all scorers vs. Duke in the NCAA First Round.
Sigi Koizar, Maine, Jr., F, Vienna, Austria
- An All-Conference First Team and All-Academic Team selection, Koizar led the team in scoring at 14.3 points per game.
- She ranked seventh in the league in field goal percentage (47.1%) and 13th in assists (2.7).
- Koizar scored 22 points in Maine's WNIT game against Villanova.
Liz Wood, Maine, Sr., F, Catlett, Va.
- Co-Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-Conference selection last year, Wood was the only player to rank in the top-seven of the conference in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and field goal percentage.
- Also named to the All-Academic Team, Wood helped Maine rank near the top of the country in scoring defense.
- She averaged 13.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.7 steals per game.
- Wood recorded Maine's first triple-double in school history last year.
Elizabeth Belanger, New Hampshire, Sr., G, Acton, Mass.
- Belanger led the Wildcats in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as a junior.
- She was named to the All-Conference First Team last year and the All-Conference Second Team as a sophomore in 2014.
- During conference play, Belanger averaged 16.6 points per game.
- She scored 20 points in six games, including a career-high 27 points in a win at Howard.
2014-15 Preseason All-Conference Team
Shereesha Richards, Sr., Albany
Imani Tate, Jr., Albany
Sigi Koizar, Jr., Maine
Liz Wood, Sr., Maine
Elizabeth Belanger, Sr., New Hampshire