Women's Basketball 2/24/2025 12:00:00 PM Women’s #AEHoops Week 16: UAlbany Takes Over First BOSTON – UAlbany was the only team to go 2-0 last week, while NJIT and Bryant each won their lone contests to create a log jam in the middle of the #AEHoops standings with just a week left in the regular season. The Week That Was UAlbany pulled away at Maine, 56-40, on Thursday evening and then took down New Hampshire on the road Saturday to secure a top-two seed in the #AEPlayoffs. It will be their fourth straight season with a top-two seed. Vermont also secured a top-two seed this past week. The Catamounts dropped a contest at Bryant on Thursday but rebounded with a 20-point win over UMass Lowell on Saturday. NJIT earned an 83-65 win over UMBC in its lone game last week to move into a tie for third in the standings. Maine lost to UAlbany by 16 but came through with a last-second layup from Caroline Dotsey to edge Binghamton 54-53 on Saturday afternoon and stay tied for the No. 3 position in the standings. New Hampshire’s 65-38 victory on Thursday, combined with a pair of UML losses, assured the Wildcats of their first playoff appearance since 2022. UMBC went 1-1 last week to move to 7-7 in the standings, which is currently tied with Bryant for fifth. Looking Ahead On Thursday, NJIT will travel to Vermont in a contest with large playoff implications, while UMBC will play at UAlbany. NJIT will then face UAlbany on Saturday, with UMBC at UVM to conclude the regular season. Bryant will host UMass Lowell on Thursday and then Maine on Saturday to conclude the regular season. New Hampshire plays at Maine on Thursday in its last game of the regular season. On Saturday, Binghamton will host UMass Lowell in its last content of the regular season. Need to Know The Great Danes are receiving votes in the College Insider Women’s Mid-Major Top 25. Vermont is assured of a top-four seed in the conference tournament for a fourth straight year. Kayla Cooper was named to the 15-player mid-season watch list for the Her Hoops Stats Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year. She is currently the only player in the nation averaging at least 17.0 pts, 7.0 reb, 3.0 ast, 1.5 steals per game & shooting 50% from the field. Maine’s Olivia Rockwood was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 'So You Want To Be A Coach' program. Vermont ranks 7th in the nation in scoring defense (52.9), while UAlbany is 9th (53.4). Last season UAlbany was 1st nationally and Vermont was 2nd. America East Links Composite Schedule/Results Conference Standings League Statistics Preseason Poll and Preseason All-Conference Fans will once again be able to watch every #AEHoops game this season regardless of where they live! The majority games will air on The AE on ESPN, either ESPN+ or ESPN3, in the United States. Games will also be available internationally on AmericaEast.TV. Those games will be available on computers, OTT devices and the brand new America East app, which is available on all IOS and Android devices and can be found by searching ‘America East Conference’ in app stores. 2024-25 Weekly Award Winners (Feb. 24) Player of the Week Kayla Cooper – Gr., Guard, Frederick, Md. Averaged 14.0 points, 6.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in a 2-0 week. Posted 22 points, eight assists, five boards and two steals in a win at New Hampshire. Ranks second in the league in scoring (17.6) and fourth in rebounding (7.0) This is Cooper’s sixth #AEHoops Player of the Week honor this year. Rookie of the Week Olivia Kulyk, NJIT – Fr., Guard, Edinboro, Pa. Finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and one block in an 83-65 victory over UMBC to move into a tie for third in the league standings. Ranks 11h in the conference in scoring (10.1) and 4thin three-point field goals made. She also ranks 13th in the conference in rebounding. This is Kulyk’s tenth #AEHoops Rookie of the Week honor this season, tied for the most in league history. Erica Beverly won the award ten times for Hartford during the 2005-06 season. Weekly Award Winners Nov. 11 – Player of the Week: Kayla Cooper, UAlbany; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Nov. 18 – Player of the Week: Kayla Cooper, UAlbany; Rookie of the Week: Allison Cannon, NJIT Nov. 25 – Player of the Week: Kayla Cooper, UAlbany; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Dec. 2 – Player of the Week: Eva DeChent, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Abby Misier, Binghamton Dec. 9 – Player of the Week: Jaden Walker, UMBC; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Dec. 16 – Player of the Week: Kayla Cooper, UAlbany; Martina Borrellas, UAlbany Dec. 23 – Player of the Week: Kaci Donovan, UAlbany; Delanie Hill, UAlbany Dec. 31 – Player of the Week: Clara Gomez, New Hampshire; Rookie of the Week: Elizabeth Lavoie, New Hampshire Jan. 6 – Player of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Jan. 13 – Player of the Week: Jadyn Weltz, Binghamton; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Jan. 20 – Player of the Week: Caroline Bornemann, Maine; Rookie of the Week: Martina Borrellas, UAlbany Jan. 27 – Player of the Week: Ali Brigham, Bryant; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Feb. 3 – Player of the Week: Kayla Cooper, UAlbany; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Feb. 10 – Player of the Week: Alejandra Zuniga, NJIT; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Feb. 17 – Player of the Week: Jordon Lewis, UMBC; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Feb. 24 – Player of the Week: Kayla Cooper, UAlbany; Rookie of the Week: Olivia Kulyk, NJIT Follow the @AEHoopsNews on X (Formerly Twitter) account to stay up-to-date on #AEHoops news all season long. 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